Be like a Tree. Stay grounded, keep growing and know when to let go – unknown
So it’s October already. Happens quickly doesn’t it? The time of year when the trees begin to shed their leaves and it’s such a beautiful sight to behold. As Vincent Van Gogh once said “If you truly love nature you will find beauty everywhere.” Speaking of which…
There’s much more to trees than meets the eye
Last night I watched an educational documentary (German with English subtitles) about The Secret Lives of Trees – what they feel and how them communicate. Part of Vancouver International Film Festival’s (VIFF) Impact series for 2020.
In 2015, Peter Wohlleben, a German forester, published a popular book titled “The Hidden Life of Trees” that became a best‐seller. 
Life, Death and Regeneration…
In this intriguing documentary, Peter Wohlleben shares his deep love of woods and forests and explains his observations and presents the science behind the secret and previously unknown life of trees and their communication abilities.
We find out…
Much like human families, tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, and support them as they grow, sharing nutrients with those who are sick or struggling and creating an ecosystem that mitigates the impact of extremes of heat and cold for the whole group. As a result of such interactions, trees in a family or community are protected and can live to be very old. In contrast, solitary trees, like street kids, have a tough time of it and in most cases die much earlier than those in a group.
In closing…
As Wohlleben says, a happy forest is a healthy forest, and he believes that eco-friendly practices not only are economically sustainable but also benefit the health of our planet and the mental and physical health of all who live on Earth.
From the VIFF Catalogue:
A forest is a super-organism, like an ant colony. Trees are interconnected, they communicate with each other, and even share community health care. Best-selling author Peter Wohlleben is our environmental tour guide for this eye-opening introduction to a new philosophy of forestry. We meet the oldest known tree in the world, a 10,000 year old Swedish spruce; burned out pine farms; succulent deciduous woods; there’s even a cameo from David Suzuki. You will never look at a tree the same way again.
I give this one three stars *** (interesting knowledge but slow moving).
Check out more films/documentaries/talks:
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 