Once upon a time there was a little girl and a little magnolia tree.

This magnolia tree was steps away from the house this little girl lived in, and she quickly grew with the tree.

You see, this tree was the girl’s sanctuary.

She designated rooms in the tree, had favorite perches and even had a certain “escape route” which she loved to swing from to leave her “favorite spot on earth.”

And oh, did she love the beauty of springtime when that little tree produced the most amazing flowers. Ones she would put behind her ear and grin with a smile so wide it went from ear to ear.

This tree provided a space where her imagination ran wild. Where her spirit felt free and where she really got to experience the magic that childhood brings. It’s where she cried tears, where she laughed uncontrollably, where she spent many an hours playing with friends, and where she ultimately learned that skinned knees and barefoot feet were the best badges of a summertime well spent.

That little girl was me, and that little tree is not so little anymore.

Though I no longer live in that house, I still drive by it occasionally and look with such awe that that tree, much like me, has grown.

Trees are more than just something we use for shade. They are sacred living beings which provide us with oxygen, stories, and-above all-sanctuary.

So, this Arbor Day, I’m celebrating all the trees that have left a mark in my life, including that magnificent magnolia that was my “home” for so many years.

Let us never forget the importance of a tree.

Did you have a favorite tree growing up?

Featured Blog Post Cover Photo by Jacalyn Beales on Unsplash