I read a beautiful article by Jeannette Dowson in Tuesday’s Globe and Mail that opened with the following, “Fed by the sun and soil, trees are the most noble organisms on Earth. All they need is an appropriate site and time. Planting trees is an optimistic act- it’s a nod to the future and to the hope that the world can get better.”
The article prompted memories of my mum- in early days at our property up north- learning about and then planting all sorts of trees; some to create shade, some to enhance the landscape, some to protect privacy, and some in honour of each of her children’s graduations.
Mum would so often comment on the trees’ progress, their growth and their ability to weather all seasons. She would carefully tie them and train them to grow a certain way, wrap some to protect them in the winter, and prune some to shape them.
I was caught off guard by emotion as I read this article. I suddenly realized, after reflecting on my mum’s work years ago, how little it had meant to me at the time and how much it means to me now.
Our mother had done just the same for my three siblings and me as she had for her trees. She and my father guided and nurtured us, while also protecting and shaping us- all with an eye to ensuring that we were rooted in sound values and able to grow into the adults we are today.
I know that my mum, just as with the trees she planted, raised us optimistically. She looked to the future and reminded us of our role in contributing to a better, kinder and more respectful world.
In the same way my mother nurtured, guided and trained her trees and her children with care, commitment and support, so, too, must we at St. Clement’s. This is our optimistic nod to the future and our confident belief that the world can always get better.
