The Eyes Have It

"And this our life, exempt from public haunts, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything." - William Shakespeare.

I have always known there are spirits in trees. Of course there are. What creature in this world could possibly have a bigger and brighter soul than a tree? A tree which has its feet in the good, green earth and its arms lifted to heaven?

The Bard himself spoke of the spirits in trees, but on this day it was eyes, not tongues, I discovered there. For the very trees seemed to be watching me; watching all of us, really. I imagined the questions such an all-seeing tree might ask.

Are we living our lives well? Do we honor and nurture the living creatures around us? Are we adding to, or helping to solve, the problems of the universe? To this world that we live in, that has both its beauties and its sorrows . . . are we bringing healing, or are we adding to its pain? Are we living a life that is worthy of the trees?

The soundtrack: Peter Gabriel & the New Blood Orchestra, with In Your Eyes.