Trees, Rain and Gloom

 Today’s post in celebration of trees is for me.  Just in case anyone is fooled by what I hope is my acceptance of this whole “vision loss” and my optimism for continued healing, I have to work at it.  If you are a new reader, on April 19th I had acute closed-angle glaucoma in both eyes and neither I nor the ophthalmologist who struggled to save my sight knew how functional my vision would be again.  It will be and I truly am grateful for everything that I can see, but…..

….today was gloomy and rainy.  We needed the moisture and my gutters seemed to be working alright (i.e., not clogged by leaves) but it was a gray day.

….school is almost out for students and teachers, and although the last days can be tedious, they are also exciting and a ritual that I have participated in for many years.  Not this year (but I will be able to teach next year).

….I didn’t solve today’s sudoku, spoiling my recent “run” of success.  I actually don’t even like sudoku but I try one almost every day;  now please don’t tell me the basics of how to solve sudoku, because I know them and can easily do easy, medium, and hard levels.  I just think that I should be able to do the “diabolical” puzzles!

So, although I was/am grateful for what I can see and for what I will be able to see, I also felt loss today.  (Do NOT let this happen to you.  Closed angles are rare but obviously they can happen, as can all sorts of other potential eye problems.  See an opthalmologist for check-ups.)

When the rain stopped, I knew that I had to get outside, and when I did, I remembered how beautiful our world is.  And I remembered a poem that I recited in childhood, Trees by Joyce Kilmer.  Enjoy….

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

Oak – “King of trees”. This picture was taken at Sinnissippi Park in Sterling, IL along the Rock River.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

I love how moss often covers the bottom of trees here in Virginia. I think these trunks look like elephant feet.

A tree that may in summer wear,

A nest of robins in her hair.

Unfortunately, the second time I hiked this part of the AT the tree had mostly fallen.

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

I sometimes nickname hikes that I go on; this one is the Princess Leia hike. Can you see why?

 Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Rocky Mountain National Park.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

And finally, an elegant cedar tree that I saw two days ago at Randolph College in Lynchburg.

If I was a college student here, I would do all of my studying under this tree.