Oak Visit from Afar

 One spring day, I arrived at Toronto’s High Park Oak Savannah with the intention to practice deep listening with a tree. There was a particular tree I had been practicing with for a few months. I was very upset to arrive at the park to see that the area that my tree resided in had been sprayed with toxic pesticides. There were signs warning humans to stay out, as the chemicals were harmful.  My research had led me to feel a sense of kinship with my tree and this contamination felt personal. If pesticides were not safe for humans, how could it be safe for my tree?  I felt personally concerned for the squirrels, bugs, flowers, birds I had met. It wasn’t funny but it felt ridiculous.