Proud and Mighty

My dad

graduated from

The School 

of Forestry,

Syracuse University.

Maybe because

of this

he taught

me and my

little brother

early on 

how to identify

different trees

and leaves

in the forest....

deciduous

evergreen

conifers

broadleaf

fronds

needles

....and how 

they grow

chlorophyll 

photosynthesis

roots, trunks,

branches, twigs

and leaves.

When I consider

what kind 

of tree

my dad would

be

I always

picture an oak,

tall and sturdy

loving the sun

reaching toward

the stars

living in harmony

with nature

providing nourishment,

future seedlings

for the family tree.

Still a Nordic

king to me ~

Six-foot four

shock of 

white hair

Tall and strong

and like

a tree branch

that is wick

{English term

for alive or lively}

green and supple

tender

on the inside.

Seeing him

with my own

children

as they have grown

teaching them

about trees

and nature

making things

with your hands

the importance

of family

in his garden

at the beach

in front of

a roaring fire

I am forever

grateful 

for this oak

this man

this father

my dad.

Let me look upward into the branches

of the flowering oak

and know that it 

grew great and strong

because it grew

slowly and well.

-Wilfred Peterson

I love you, Dad!

xx





[images:   all but family
are from flickr; click on each
for attribution]

Posted in fatherhood , nature