Today—day one of volunteering on a Sauvie Island farm—I planted three trees: two ash and one pear. My hands grasping the wooden shaft of my shovel and the sound of grass roots ripping away as my shovel disheveled the soil instantly resurfaced childhood memories. Although it’s been over 12 years since my dad’s passing, his legend lives on through trees. The hundreds of seedlings he planted now shade, cool, and protect my brother’s family. With Earth Day approaching, I hope you find time to plant a tree or to feel the earth within your hands. And may you find complete joy and surrender when doing so.
