Friday, February 10, 2012

The Difficult Place



I cannot help it. I keep going back. The Bristlecone Pine National Forest near Alma, Colorado, keeps calling. Some of these trees are 1500 years old; they cling to a windy ridge on the face of a stark and barren mountain.

These trees are known for their resilience. They live the longest in the harshest conditions with poor soil and the worst of climates.  They thrive on adversity. Many appear to be dead, until a closer look reveals the strand of life, a cambium layer hidden deep in the tree, a life-line that continues to grow from the inside, even as the bark on the surface dies away.

Many of the trees have bent sideways to cope with the wind; they huddle together protecting each other in their proximity. They grow off- center, sacrificing branches and balance for the sake of life’s growth and seed. Even the pinecones are tenacious; they are coated with a sticky surface that clings to the soil and to my fingers for days after my visit.

Repeatedly, I am amazed and heartened in their presence.

   Kari Reiquam                                                                                                                                 

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