One morning, the forest awoke to the sound of approaching heavy machinery, spewing smoke, and frightening the animals. Birds flew out of their nests, hoping to lead the approaching monsters away from their unhatched eggs.
Soon the forest was filled with the sounds of falling trees, uprooted bushes and earth being scraped away to create large craters. It was astonishing evidence of indiscriminate clearing that resulted in a large area left void of vegetation. The canopy of branches and leaves that had always prevented the soil from drying out was no longer. Many of the trees that were the “keepers“ of the forest and ensured the stability of the area were destroyed.
Before the area had been cleared, before there had even been a road, trees were always able to communicate with each other in their unique way. They were the “elders “ who fulfilled their responsibility and obligation by sharing their knowledge with young saplings. Even the insects communicated with each other by vibrating their bodies through the plants they lived on. Each sound in the forest had its particular meaning.
That was of no concern to the intruders. Whether they were even aware of the important role played by mature trees was doubtful. How could they be so blind and shortsighted, Old Sam had thought. Were they completely unaware that humans have a responsibility to care for the earth and nurture it with their mind, body & soul? For their sake as well?
An ecosystem that had sustained every living thing within it was being erased. The humans even thought it humorous when they shouted “timber” as trees were felled, when it was simply cruel and insensitive to destroy living beings.
Soon Old Sam found himself alone except for one other tree about 15 feet away, which also survived the destructive and apocalyptic event. The large boulder nestled next to Sam’s trunk also remained, apparently too large to be moved.
The area was now filled with so many humans scurrying everywhere; they seemed like a colony of ants. The trucks going back and forth were filled with tools and materials, including several very large ones with rotating funnel-shaped drums, resembling butterfly cocoons, and emitting a vibration Old Sam could feel in his trunk. Old Sam realized this was not a temporary situation. The newcomers were going to build permanent structures, and the area once considered pristine was to be no more. Life as Old Sam had known it was over.
The resilience Old Sam always displayed and his ability to adapt to an evolving environment would hold him in good stead, and rather than mourning what he had lost, Old Sam began to direct his energy towards adapting to the new reality.
As the new homes began to take shape, he noticed they were mirror images of each other with a common footpath leading to the lake behind them. He correctly assumed they were to be occupied either by members of the same family or very close friends.
