I was lucky enough to be born into a family and a generation that loved and respected trees.
We drew the leaves by observing the yellow ones collected from the ground at school. But, in spring, my pencils’ shades were not enough to colour the silhouettes of flowering cherry trees.
We climbed the trees and made beautiful circles around them. We leaned against the trunk to count hide and seek or cry when we were sad. Under the willow branches, we imagined our ‘grown-up’ cottage and cooked magnificent and fake lunches with acorns and flowers. Under the oak, we were competing to find the beetles, the giant ones. In the woods, my grandmother ‘smelled’ the good places for mushrooms and in winter, we took shelter with her under the branches of fir trees when it snowed heavily. In front of a fallen tree, I have always felt an infinite sadness and great respect. When I hug a tree, I think of its wisdom and magnificent presence, friend, alert, allied.
When I meditate in nature, I imagine myself embracing every root and branch of the world, and I feel lovely energy.
The leaves dancing in the breeze are the best relief in the summer heat, and the birds singing in the morning, a blessing.
Here is my bitter outburst for those who, like us, love nature, trees, animals, the scent of dew. I can no longer hold back a desperate cry for the daily havoc we are assisting helplessly. I refer to the wild felling and topping of entire tree-lined avenues, parks, urban areas throughout Italy and Europe. I will not dwell on the real reasons behind this barbarism, but you can well imagine that given the zeal, it can only be a question of greed for colossal business.
I love trees. I respect them; I honour them. Cutting down, thank them. I ask them for forgiveness in the name of such brutal ignorance, greed and arrogance. Every tree felled, every nest destroyed, is a mourning for the whole community.
I pray every day for our beloved trees and ask you to do the same as you wish and as you can, according to your heart’s faith. I will not put distressing images here, but only a vision of beauty, love and harmony to keep in mind during our invocations.
In a moment of love connection with a tree destined with others for a useless felling here in the street under my house, I felt this message that I wrote straight away and shared with many sensitive people. I printed it and put it on all the logs at risk in the area.
With much sadness but a hopeful heart, I send a healing prayer for Mother Earth, and I thank one by one the trees that have been and will be with us in our precious paths of awareness.
And to you, beloved friends, a hug that smells of moss, bark, morning breeze.
Tree tears
While I’m ready to bloom for your spring,
Someone’s put a red sign on my trunk.
It means they will bring me down.
Right now, millions of trees are uprooted
in the world. Without any respect,
especially for you and your children’s future.
Soon humanity will cry in the wastelands.
These are my last words: honour me,
enjoy the cool under my branches.
Fall in love, looking at my flowers.
Reconcile, savouring my fruits.
But please save me, by any means!
Time is running out, beloved friend.
A sad new stump along the road or in a devastating forest
My death is a slow step towards yours.
Now I look fearfully at this man who is about
to rage on my trunk.
May he renounce madness,
put down the chainsaw
and become a wise keeper of life.