Planting Twin Trees
Plantando árboles gemelos
por Robin Wall Kimmerer
En la mitad del siglo XIX existía la costumbre de plantar árboles gemelos para celebrar un matrimonio y empezar un hogar. La posición de los dos árboles, a solo tres metros de distancia, hace recordar a una pareja de pie en los escalones del porche, agarrad@s de la mano. Su sombras se extienden y unen el porche delantero con el granero del otro lado de la carretera, creando un camino sombreado de ida y vuelta para esa joven familia.
Me doy cuenta de que esas primeras personas que vivieron aquí, no fueron las beneficiarias de esa sombra, al menos no como una pareja joven. Debe haber sido para cuando su gente se quedara aquí. Seguramente estas dos personas ya estaban durmiendo en el panteón mucho antes de que la sombra arqueara hacia el otro lado de la carretera. Estoy viviendo hoy en el futuro sombreado que ell@s imaginaron, bebiendo la savia de los árboles que plantaron con sus votos matrimoniales. No podrían haberme imaginado, muchas generaciones después y, sin embargo, vivo en el regalo de su cuidado. ¿Podrían haberse imaginado que cuando mi hija Linden se casó, elegiría hojas de azúcar de Arce como regalo de la boda?
Ésta es la responsabilidad que tengo para estas personas y estos árboles, que me fue dejada; yo, una desconocida que viene a vivir bajo la protección de los gemelos, con un vínculo físico, emocional y espiritual. No tengo forma de pagarles. El regalo que me dieron es mucho mayor que la capacidad que tengo de reciprocidad. Son tan grandes que casi están fuera del alcance de mi cuidado, aunque podría esparcir gránulos de fertilizante a sus pies y regarlos con la manguera en la sequía de verano. Quizás todo lo que puedo hacer es amarles. Se que lo que tengo que hacer es dejar otro regalo, para ellos y para el futuro, es@s próxim@s desconocid@s que vivirán aquí.
Preguntas semilla para la reflexión: ¿Cómo te relacionas con dejar regalos que vayan más allá de la duración de tu propia vida? ¿Puedes compartir una historia de alguna acción premeditada con atención plena que haya hecho alguien en el pasado y con la que tú te hayas beneficiado directamente? ¿Qué te inspira a seguir la cadena de regalos
Excerpted from Braided Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to leaving gifts behind far beyond your own lifetime? Can you share a story of a thoughtful action someone long before you took that has benefited you directly? What inspires you to pay your gifts forward?
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7 Past Reflections
On Oct 18, 2017 Ted wrote :
I was thinking, as I read the final paragraph, that there is something you can do - something we all can do. Then, you answered it in the final sentence.
Perfect.
Perfect.
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On Oct 18, 2017 Brandon Steppe wrote :
What a beautiful reading. Thank you for the space to reflect. I am blessed to be the Dad of two little ones; Jasmine (9) and Joshua (7). From the time they were in the womb I have been praying that God would purpose their lives in loving service. They attend one of the most beautifully diverse schools in San Diego with 16 languages spoken. Everyday before school I ask them how they will shine God’s light of love, compassion and service. When I pick them up they report back to me. Occasionally I challenge them to stretch and reach beyond their comfort zone to encourage a Studnet they see having a hard time with something and everyday they must greet someone that they don’t know. As I read the passage I was moved because they ARE my twin trees. Ultimately they will decided if they want to live of life of faith marked by service love and compassion; being the shade to others that I hope they will be. I have planted them as saplings by a river of living water and it is m... [View Full Comment]
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On Oct 17, 2017 Deepak wrote :
Inspirational . For me , it is seeing my great great grand father whom I had the privilege of seeing as a child . When the British ruled India , he was in the police force and he was promoted to become an Inspector in the police one of they few Indians who rose to that rank during British rule . As a child he not only took interest in my education but also taught me the meaning of integrity , compassion , empathy and love , the values which i imbibed from him as a child . today it has been my endeavor to carry forward my great great father's legacy by setting an example of my own life spreading the values which I learnt from him . there is a considerable gratitude for him for inculcating the vales I imbibed from him .
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On Oct 15, 2017 Kristin Pedemonti wrote :
Beautiful. Leaving gifts behind far beyond one's lifetime to me means leaving a legacy of kindness, of being shelter, being shade to others, however you might define that for yourself. It is about being a place of respite, of being the one who listens, offers a hand, a shoulder. Being the one who can be leaned on. I think someone long before from whom I benefitted within family context was my great-great grandfather Martin Quigney who courageously fled Ireland during the potato famine. He left on one of the last famine ships in 1852 and made his way to the US where he created new roots. I am part of his tree. On a larger scale and unrelated, I think of the many women who stood up together so that I could have the right to vote, own property and do the work I currently do. What inspires me to pay my own gifts of Story and Listening and empowerment forward are all those who have gone before me who also shared kindness and love and compassion. And I must say, it also feels really g... [View Full Comment]
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On Oct 14, 2017 david doane wrote :
All life is connected -- as a river of life that has been flowing on earth for a couple billion years. We are the leading edge of all life that has come before us, and we will be part of life that comes after us. We do leave gifts behind far beyond our lifetime -- the only choice we have is in what gifts we leave. I like the story of the old man who is happily planting a tree that others will enjoy. A personal story is that my house was built by a man in 1930, he lived in it until he died in 1968, and I and my family have lived in and enjoyed it for the past 40 years. I never met him and am grateful to him. We've made changes and improvements to the house and property that will someday benefit the next owner. More significantly, mentors have given me life changing wisdom, some of which I've in turn passed on to others. Knowing that we are all connected in one river of life, and knowing that I have benefited from those who came befo... [View Full Comment]
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On Oct 13, 2017 Jagdish P Dave wrote :
I love the metaphor of planting the Twin Trees. Two hearts, minds and bodies bonding together , nourishing and taking care of each other and all connected with them. We have received gifts of love and caring from our ancestors, our guardians and we are continuing the same shade giving to each other and others and and planting the Tween Trees for the generations to come. This is our sacred responsibility called Dharma.
I strongly believe that we need to spend time with our children to talk about our ancestries, where we are coming from, how much sacrifice they have made for us and how grateful we are for having them in our lives.It is somewhat like modern scientists are indebted to the scientists who blazed a new path of discoveries and inventions. before them This applies to philosophers, musicians, writers and dancers. We all are indebted to our fore fathers and fore mothers.
In our family we spend time together talking about our ancestors and paying homage to them,... [View Full Comment]