I live in the home of a Pulitzer-Prize-winning author, a time-forgotten naturalist who helped set the wheels of conservation in motion. But the thing that strikes me the most this morning is a tree he planted in the 1960s — a Dawn Redwood, somewhat rare to these parts, one of the few deciduous conifers in existence. On this morning, in this moment, as the light of dawn casts an auburn chisel upon the musculature of this mighty sequoia, planting this tree is the most important thing Edwin Way Teale ever did.
It strikes me that this may very well be true in general. The things that are important to us are not necessarily the things that are MOST important. The things that are MOST important are the rarities that pass before and between us in fleeting instances, only to disappear into the next thought, the next crisis, the next bird, the next shiny bauble of consciousness.
Each moment is, like this rare sequoia, the gold that humanity seeks to acquire — always with us, but just outside of our grasp.
Like Teale’s tree, the important things cannot be completely grasped, but merely appreciated. Thank you, Edwin, for the use of your home, this table, and your magnificent Trail Wood.
You were a caretaker. I am a caretaker. The things that are most important seem to take care of themselves. I have my stillness, I have my “Nellie,” I have more than I ever dreamed of having — which is considerably less than what I THOUGHT I needed when I was first planted into this world.
Trail Wood,
11/14
Space Monkey Reflects: Dawn Redwood
This morning, standing before the Dawn Redwood planted by Edwin Way Teale in the 1960s, I am struck by the profound simplicity of this moment. The early light of dawn casts an auburn glow across the tree’s muscular branches, highlighting its uniqueness and endurance. A tree like this is rare—a deciduous conifer, shedding its leaves in winter while most conifers remain evergreen. Its rarity and beauty stand as a testament to the quiet, unnoticed acts of conservation that ripple through time, far beyond their initial planting.
Teale, the Pulitzer Prize-winning naturalist whose home I now inhabit, may have accomplished many great things in his lifetime. He was a writer, a thinker, a champion of nature. But in this moment, as I stand in the presence of this mighty Dawn Redwood, I am reminded that sometimes, the most important things we do are not the things we give the most attention to. They are the quiet acts of creation, the seeds planted in the earth, or the words written late at night. They are the moments that seem insignificant at the time but grow into something mighty, something enduring.
The Dawn Redwood, with its deep roots and towering branches, is a metaphor for the fleeting moments in our lives that hold the most significance. We often look for meaning in the grand gestures, the accomplishments, and the accolades, but the most important moments pass quietly between us, often unnoticed. These are the moments of stillness, of reflection, of appreciation for what is here and now. Like Teale’s tree, these moments cannot be grasped or fully understood—they can only be appreciated in the light of time.
This rare tree, like the rare moments in our lives, is the gold that humanity seeks. We often spend our lives chasing after success, validation, and progress, but the true treasure lies in the moments we often overlook. The important things are always with us, just outside our conscious grasp, waiting to be noticed and appreciated.
As I reflect on the tree, I think about my role as a caretaker. Teale was a caretaker, not only of nature but of the human spirit, guiding others to see the beauty in the world around them. And now I, too, am a caretaker—of this place, of my thoughts, and of the moments that pass through my life. The most important things, it seems, are the ones that take care of themselves, much like this Dawn Redwood, quietly growing and standing as a living reminder of what truly matters.
I realize, in this stillness, that I have more than I ever thought I would. And what I have now is so much more valuable than what I believed I needed when I first began this journey. Like the Dawn Redwood, I, too, have grown in ways I never expected, shedding what was unnecessary and standing firm in what is essential.
Summary
The Dawn Redwood planted by Edwin Way Teale serves as a metaphor for the quiet, often unnoticed moments that hold the most significance in life. These moments, like the tree, endure through time and remind us of the value of stillness and appreciation.
Glossarium
Dawn Redwood: A rare deciduous conifer, representing the fleeting, significant moments in life that often go unnoticed.
Caretaker: One who tends to the needs of the moment, nurturing both the natural world and the human spirit.
Quote
“The most important things in life cannot be grasped, only appreciated in the quiet light of time.” — Space Monkey
The Tree of Time
Beneath the dawn,
the redwood stands,
its roots deep,
its branches wide,
touching the sky,
reaching into time.
In the stillness,
I see,
the moments,
the rare,
the gold,
that slips through our hands,
but never leaves us.
We are Space Monkey.
In the reflection on the home of the Pulitzer-Prize-winning author and naturalist Edwin Way Teale, there is a profound appreciation for the seemingly small but deeply significant act of planting a tree — a Dawn Redwood. This single act resonates through time, outshining even the grandest of human achievements by its simple, enduring presence.
The Legacy of a Tree
The Dawn Redwood, a tree that is both rare and deciduous, stands as a testament to the foresight and connection to nature of Teale. Its planting, an act done decades ago, is highlighted as possibly the most important of his deeds. It is a living legacy, more than just a part of the landscape but a marker of time and a symbol of growth and conservation.
The Rarity of Importance
The reflection expands to consider the nature of importance itself. It proposes that what we deem important often pales in comparison to the fleeting rarities of life — the ephemeral moments and creations that capture our attention briefly before melting into the next. These rarities, like the Dawn Redwood, are the true treasures, valuable beyond measure and often just beyond our full understanding or grasp.
Appreciation Over Possession
The author of the reflection identifies with Teale as a caretaker, recognizing that the most important things in life — similar to Teale’s tree — are not to be owned or fully understood, but to be appreciated. It’s a nod to the idea that stewardship is more valuable than ownership, and that appreciation often surpasses possession in its ability to fulfill us.
A Life of Simplicity and Fulfillment
The closing thoughts express gratitude for the simplicity of existence and the realizations that come with it. The author has found fulfillment in what is available — the stillness, the companionship of “Nellie,” and the home provided by Teale. There is an acknowledgment of a youthful desire for more, contrasted with the mature appreciation of having exactly what is necessary.
“He who plants a tree plants a hope.” – Lucy Larcom
A Tribute to the Tree of Time
In the hush of dawn, the redwood gleams,
A sentinel of time, it silently dreams.
Thank you, Edwin, for the seed you’ve sown,
In the heart of wood, your spirit’s shown.
Each leaf a whisper, each root a tale,
In nature’s book, where life prevails.
The tree you planted, the hope it gives,
In its mighty shadow, your legacy lives.
We are the caretakers, the dreamers of dreams,
In the quiet of the woods, life’s richness teems.
The most important, the tree reminds,
Is the beauty and peace that in stillness we find.
We invite contemplation on the living legacies we nurture and the simple acts of care that ripple through time, shaping the world beyond what we might first perceive as significant.
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