When I was young, around six, I planted my first tree. While my parents wanted to spice up our front yard, always in competition with the neighbors who had just installed a pool, I wanted to give more oxygen to the community (I had just learned about a tree’s gift to the world in school.) So on a Saturday morning, my dad took me to pick out my new tree, which was to be planted right by my bedroom window. I decided on a small one, petite like me, with branches full of tiny purple leaves. Back at home, I helped my dad dig the hole, him with a shovel and me with a Fisher Price toy, and we delicately put the baby tree into the earth. As I watched the last bit of dirt cover its roots, I stood looking up at my tree, head cocked and hand shielding the sun from my eyes. Instantly, I knew we’d be friends.
In honor of Earth Day, my 2nd post for HandsIn is up today! Check it out to read the rest of my story and see why planting a tree was one of the best things I've ever done.
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2 comments:
When I was in third grade, I won third place in an Arbor Day poster competition and my prize was a tiny tree seedling. I was so excited. I brought it home and my father and I planted it. My parents were convinced it would die quickly, but no! Twenty years later, it is still there! It's now a good twenty feet high and has split into two distinct trunks! Of course, now my father wishes it had been planted somewhere else, because it is quite close to the driveway :)
Happy Earth Day!!!
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