They were walking in the forest when the little boy started to stare
“Daddy, when a tree dies in the forest,” he asked, “does anybody care?”
“Are their other trees around him who will cry or weep or moan?
Does a tree have other tree friends…or does it die alone?”
“A tree has many friends.” His father said. “You can see them all around.”
Then he sat his son upon the very tree that had fallen to the ground.
“Trees and the all the trees around them have many sisters, many brothers
And with the help of the sun, the rain and the Earth they rely on one another.”
“They rely on each other for food and shelter…and when it’s time to say goodbye
I do believe they mourn together…I do believe they cry.”
“Look upon the ground beneath you” the father said, it’s proof of how trees grieve.
When one of their own has fallen…their teardrops are their leaves.”
“When one tree dies word is sent through all tree roots.
It travels to the their ears
and they weep for one another until the ground is covered with their tears.”
“Tears that gracefully fall to Earth,
tears all trees release,
tears that form a blanket
so their friends can rest in peace.”
“No…you needn’t worry about trees my son.” the father said.
“These leaves prove they are never on their own….
and prove that any tree that passes
will never die alone.
We all better learn to care
We all better learn to care when a tree dies.