“Under the spreading chestnut tree…”

I read with great interest an online article concerning the effort to reintroduce the American chestnut tree into the yards, fields, and consciousness of Americans, and it got me thinking.

It seems that scientists have developed a hearty version of the chestnut - the tree that dominated much of the eastern old growth forests until the first part of the twentieth century – after an invasive mold from Asia nearly wiped these stately 100-foot tall giants from our midst and our memory. It is quite amazing what science has been up to lately, from turning cars into “smart” cars that are more efficient and intuitive, to allowing your Jack Russell terrier to live again (and again…) through cloning. I’m not really sure where science is going with all of this, but undoubtedly, I will get plenty of Facebook and Twitter updates on my iPhone (if I had one…) to keep me posted on the progress.

Now more than ever, it’s challenging to know where real value lies in the world around us. Despite the fact that we want global news at our fingertips 24 hours a day, we seem less and less interested in understanding the stories in depth. It’s also hard to grasp the impact of such information when any clown with a computer (like me, for example) can blog to their heart’s content about events, happenings, and the relative veracity of weather forecasters without the filter of perspective or scale applied for balance. Each of us must apply our own measurement of worth to these scatter-shot offerings, and often we vote with our fingertips, choosing with a single keystroke either to tarry or to race onward to the next info-bit.

For a change of pace, I recommend that you step away from cyber-reality long enough to truly embrace the real thing. Take the time to breathe in the art of the world around us, the symphony of existence. Enfold yourself in the sights, sounds, and feel of Northeast Ohio in May. Consider introducing this awareness into your daily routine. Each turn you take on your morning drive reveals the beauty of spring; take the time to really see it. Go so far as to vary your drive from day to day, and see what’s blooming. Better yet, walk or ride a bicycle! Turn off the computer and grab a book or listen to music. Even better, make your own music, and encourage others around you to join in. Or read a poem aloud to others - after all, that’s why they were written.

Don’t get me wrong, I like much of what technology has brought to modern day life. But when those chestnut trees come back, and your grandchildren gather under one of them to catch some shade or escape the raindrops, what could possibly be better than hearing them breaking into a verse or two of “Singin’ in the Rain”, or a spirited rendition of “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”

By the way, if you would like to read the chestnut story (on your laptop, outside, under a flowering Buckeye tree!), here’s the link.

http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/44257292.html

Have a stimulating week!