When a Tree Falls

You know the old saying: “If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? The same question applies to the saying about the bear, but I will not go there. The point I am trying to make is about the nature of silent suffering. Just because a person hides their emotions from the world does not mean that the feelings are not real or that they are not capable of feeling what others feel. I am that tree and I feel every leaf that turns when the season changes and I hear every subtle sound that each one makes as it gathers lifeless and beautiful upon the ground. Autumn has that effect as it reminds us of the cyclic nature of life and challenges those who appreciate its lesson that change is inevitable. We cannot keep the leaves from falling, but we can lessen the blow of the wind by seeking shelter in the closeness of the forest.

Family, friends and faith lead us on our journey in search of meaning. Marriage offers the opportunity to bind ourselves like a tiny atom to another to form an element essential for life to continue on in greater scale than one mere particle floating in space. Children are the by-product of this coming together and so the cycle continues for generation upon generation until the energy that first produced it fades into oblivion. Friends help put all of this into perspective as we share our common experiences and reflect a higher purpose other than mere survival. Faith gathers all of the known and unknown to form a sense of the spiritual flow common to all living things. It is this bonding nature of faith that propels us to greater meaning beyond this two dimensional space.

An example of this expanded notion of life exists in the growth rings of a tree. You cannot see them unless you cut down the tree or sever a branch from the trunk. When exposed, you can count the seasons or years when the tree experienced plentiful rainfall or drought conditions. The bark of the tree shows scarring from whatever occurrence damaged it like the initials of two young lovers who happened by and carved their affection for one another. Whatever the case, a tree heals itself by growing over the wound so that it may continue on living and what is left behind is a reminder of the injury. Again, I am a tree of complexity with once open wounds healed over with the seasons of time and one day I shall fall. And so the question remains: When I fall, will anyone be there to hear it? The answer is every human being’s philosophical challenge and legacy to the generations that follow.