The View of a Tree

​What do you see when you look at me? Yes, it’s a tree; Perhaps you even said branches and leaves. But, you see, I am so much more than I seem when you first look at me. I suppose that’s the problem with trees. There are so many that, after a while, we just sorta look past the tree and miss all that it provides and means.
 
I am a home for birds and insects. If there were no trees, the birds of the sky would have nowhere to rest, nowhere to build their nest. New hatchlings grow and are fed in the safety of the nest, built snugly on the branches of trees. The fledglings cautiously peer over the edge of the nest and swoop out for their first flight, only to rush back to the security of the canopy of leaves the tree provides. A tree is safety.
 
The leaves of a tree provide air for all the creatures of the world. The green of the leaves tells everyone that oxygen is being added to the air to breathe. The green of the leaves tells everyone that carbon dioxide is being cleansed from the air to make it easier to breathe. Without trees, and their leaves, we could not live. A tree is life.
 
A tree is much more that it appears. There is nearly as much below the ground as there is above the ground. The root ball is huge. It anchors me securely to the ground. I have withstood storms and winds and rains. And through all of it, I merely bend and wave, and maybe creak a little. When the storm passes, as all storms eventually do, I stand firm in my place. A tree is strong.
 
Trees have texture. Did you know you can identify a tree just by its bark? But it’s easier if you touch it as well as look at it. So why are you looking at me from behind a window? Come on out and feel the roughness of the bark. Feel the smooth leaves. Smell the fragrance of the flowers. Enjoy the coolness of the shade. If you want, you can lie down next to me and rest. Or read a book. Or gaze into the eyes of one you love. It’s a good thing and I enjoy it. A tree is respite.
 
You see, I am so much more than I seem when you first look at me. So, let’s slow down a little and really look closely. Look past my flaws and rough edges. See the light streaming through my branches and the reflection of the leaves. Look past the broken branches and stubs where I have been pruned. That’s how you’ll know I am real. I have lived a life that is hard, but rewarding.
 
What do you see when you look at me? A tree is a gift from God.