Brian Swimme (a mathematical cosmologist) says in The Universe is a Green Dragon, “ We must address the tree, we must address all things, confronting them in the awareness that we are in the presence of numinous mystery.” And then he goes on with this : “…I’m not worried about the tree here. I’m worried about humans. We need to address trees and all things. We are the ones who forget awe, mystery and the astonishment of being. …We have convinced ourselves that [the trees] are just inert stuff, standing there for twenty years until we get around to cutting them down. We’re deluded.”

Some of the views or realizations I wrote about last time, are of humanity’s tremendous separations from nature in modern times. This separation is not only physical, not only that we have become more than 80% urban, but that in our consciousness, in our value system, there is nothing relational about how we live and what we do to the natural world, how we assault and plunder the earth for our own gain – for profit and consumption. In our entire value system and belief system and understanding, WE DO NOT FIT OURSELVES IN as respectful members of the ecosystem. This is some of what is thought about as being BEHIND our climate change crisis.

This relates to my intentions for writing my books. Stories that show children in nature, but also children exploring and enjoying nature, benefitting from nature and giving benefit (reciprocity) to the natural world. Children’s emotional nature’s are entirely open to and yearning for this love and reciprocity. It is not the time in their life to ‘address their heads’ with facts and information, especially the dangers of our crises. It is time to develop love and connection. Head learning will find its right place later.

When we talk to a tree, it is WE who benefit and are changed. We extend our awareness of living things around us, and we become part of the tapestry of livingness.