If a tree falls…

If a tree falls in the forest and there’s no one to hear it, does it make a sound?

Today, a tree snapped and I happened to be there, not only to hear it but also to see it fall.

It made such a terrifying sound like hundreds of skulls cracking at once, and I stood still, bewildered. One would have thought it was the biggest pine tree. It was awe-inspiring, especially considering that of all the years I’ve walked and hiked in the woods, which nowadays is my daily centering ritual, this is the first time I’ve witnessed a tree fall. I was humbled and felt fortunate to have been in the presence of such a rare miracle. Unharmed, too.

I’ve often wondered whenever I come across fallen trees what it would be like to be on a trail precisely at the time that the tree is coming down. Now I know–the sound gets trapped in your bones like the ghost of a loved one you can never forget. 

Thank you, dear pine, for reminding me how precious life is, how suddenly we tumble.