Shared Roots

A few months ago I met a lovely woman, Jen Kramer, who had committed to a year of postings on social media at #yearoflove. Her goal was to acknowledge the people in her daily life that she appreciated and who made the world a better place. Jen inspired me to make a similar commitment for 2019 but with a different focus.

Over the last year I have been contemplating community and all the ways we help our planet heal by actively participating in various communities. Recently I began reading Mark Nepo’s latest book, More Together than Alone: Discovering the Power and Spirit of Community in Our Lives and in the World and decided to make community and nature the focus for my year of reflection.

Nature provides many examples of interconnectedness and interdependence, especially among tree communities. California’s coast redwoods are among the most impressive trees on the planet. They are one of the oldest living organisms in the world and can live more than 2,000 years! They are so tall that their tops are out of sight. Mats of soil on the upper branches support whole communities of worms, insects, salamanders and mammals.

Redwoods can clone themselves, resulting in a complex network of roots beneath the forest floor with which trees communicate and share nutrients. Their roots are not deep, only about six to twelve feet, but they are interconnected. Extending up to 100 feet from the tree’s base, they intertwine with the roots of others, holding on to each other, increasing their stability.

Throughout the coast redwood forest there are about 400 small redwoods that are completely stripped of color, albino or ghost redwoods. Scientists have discovered that these trees are full of cadmium, copper, nickel and other noxious metals that are harmful to the forest. These albino trees suck the heavy metals out of the soil in a symbiotic relationship with their healthy neighbors. These ghost trees act as reservoirs for poison in exchange for the sugar the healthy trees need to survive.

Coast redwoods take care of each other. They form bonds and look out for one another, even recognizing their offspring. All trees in the redwood forest are interconnected and interdependent, actively participating in the health of the entire forest. It is the interactions of the whole forest that keeps it strong and thriving as a community.

This year I am going to explore and share reflections about the power of community to heal our world, inspired by nature and people in my life. We all come from the same ancestral roots.

Please share your thoughts and reflections as I post on Facebook at Ancestral Wisdom, #sharedroots, or Instagram @gcmckay.

May 2019 inspire you and bless you!

May you discover and expand your appreciation and interconnectedness with the communities in your life.

May you recognize the interdependence of all life on Mother Earth and become part of the solution for our planet and all living beings.

May you give and receive the gift of love and shared ancestral roots.

“Shared roots live longer.” Mark Nepo 

Gogo Gretchen Crilly McKay