The magnificent forests of my early childhood first sprouted in the pages of books. Raised in suburban Oklahoma, there were plenty of trees, but never a spanning, interwoven community of wooded giants that I could walk beneath and amongst, as I longed to do.
The magic of story-telling, and story-listening. Each is dependent on the other. We think the listening is passive, but it isnt, its hugely participatory, both working together to conjure the story to life. Its such a powerful experience, as you have shown, that can stay with us long after the story is told. This is a lovely piece of writing. Thank you for sharing it with us. 💕
Chelsea, I love what you say about "… the land as the place where stories could happen." As a grandmother to someone who is Aspen's age, I understand what you mean! It's an honor to walk in a world rich with waiting stories.
And I agree - it is what we need. And it's why we need schools to be wondrous places where kids are always, and deeply, connected with the world around them.
I loved reading your piece this morning, thank you so much. This, after I had dreamt or thought a conversation during the night, about gifting a tree. Not a tree you can plant but one that is already there, strong, healthy, big. And in the conversation I was saying to someone give the tree to whoever you want. How? she said. You will know what to do, I said.
So when I read the part about your daughter "imagining" a tree it made perfect sense. This imagining is what frees us to do things, to gift trees, to teach, to connect. We are so good at imagining as a child but we have to keep on imagining, as an adult. We mustn't forget.
The magic of story-telling, and story-listening. Each is dependent on the other. We think the listening is passive, but it isnt, its hugely participatory, both working together to conjure the story to life. Its such a powerful experience, as you have shown, that can stay with us long after the story is told. This is a lovely piece of writing. Thank you for sharing it with us. 💕
Chelsea, I love what you say about "… the land as the place where stories could happen." As a grandmother to someone who is Aspen's age, I understand what you mean! It's an honor to walk in a world rich with waiting stories.
Your thoughts remind me of Joy Harjo's enchanting little book, Secrets from the Center of the World. In it, Joy responds to a series of Stephen Strom's photographs of Dinétah, the Navajo homeland. She reveals story after story about the desert — none of which are obvious in the photographs. You have to learn to look at the land with new eyes.
Thank you for sharing your writing with us. Your emerging book sounds wonderful!
Forests and books, communal and imaginative
Aspen is a lucky creature! And to you too are lucky, for your dad. Thank you for sharing this lovely story.
Beautiful.
And I agree - it is what we need. And it's why we need schools to be wondrous places where kids are always, and deeply, connected with the world around them.
I loved reading your piece this morning, thank you so much. This, after I had dreamt or thought a conversation during the night, about gifting a tree. Not a tree you can plant but one that is already there, strong, healthy, big. And in the conversation I was saying to someone give the tree to whoever you want. How? she said. You will know what to do, I said.
So when I read the part about your daughter "imagining" a tree it made perfect sense. This imagining is what frees us to do things, to gift trees, to teach, to connect. We are so good at imagining as a child but we have to keep on imagining, as an adult. We mustn't forget.
I, too, look forward to your book!