The Friendship Tree 4/23/18

Hi All,
I.m just trying to get started with blogging, so while I'm figuring this thing out, I'm posting something  I already did on Facebook last month:

                                  The Friendship Tree

Yesterday I went for a solo walk in the park as I frequently do.  It was one of the first really good Springtime days for taking a walk.  Winter had been hanging on way past it's calendar date and in late April the weather was finally warming up.  The temperature was comfortable, just the right amount of sunshine, not too hot.  I was walking along listening to the birds singing, watching the creek flow by on my left when I happened to glance to my right and saw a rather broad-based tree branching out in different directions from low on the trunk.

All of a sudden the bark, bathed in sunlight and shadow revealed what appeared to be the shape of a woman leaning back against one of the splits of the trunk. I stopped and looked a while and felt a connection with the spirit of the tree. I thought it was odd I had never noticed this before on the same trail in the same park I have been walking for years.

Anyway, I had barely begun my walk and was eager to get moving. I made a mental note to stop again on my way back and set off with a smile in my heart. After I had gotten my fill of exercise for the day, I turned around and headed back to my car. As I passed the tree this time I stopped and now the light and shadow on the bark had shifted and revealed a couple of large cats where I had seen a woman before. I snapped a few pictures to possibly attempt a drawing later, then stood still connecting to this beautiful happy tree and left with a smile.

Later I posted two pictures on Facebook of the tree that I had not noticed before and a number of people reacted to or liked the pictures, but no one commented. I then posted the question "Anyone else seeing the shape of animals, or did I not have enough coffee today?"

Amazingly, even from my cellphone pictures, people reported that they saw a face, a seated hound dog, a bear, a squirrel and a jaguar.

I had a beautiful walk in the park yesterday, and because I stopped for a moment to look around and felt the desire to share my observation, I was able to stimulate the imagination of a few friends and share the experience with them.

I've been walking alone in that park for years and enjoy the quiet solitude as a moving meditation. I believe it may be time to allow others to join me on my journey.