Perspectives on age: 52, 102, 300

Beth, Joshua, Hannah, & me.

Today was a day of reflection and thanksgiving for me. This is the 52nd anniversary of my birth, and I am a very grateful man. I feel fortunate to have great parents who have loved and nurtured me for more than half a century. I am grateful that I am married to an amazing & beautiful woman who understands my need to walk in wild places. I am convinced that our moving into this hollow a year ago is only because of her love and prayers. It is also because of Beth that I get to be the father of two great kids. Her devotion as a mother makes it fairly easy to be at least a decent dad. This may sound silly, but on more than one occasion I have said, "I can't believe I get to be me!"

On my honor

I also think it's pretty cool that I share a birthday with the Boy Scouts of America, which started in 1910. I guess it's only appropriate that I was born on the 50th anniversary of the BSA. I know that Scouting has improved my life in ways beyond what I'll ever even know, and I feel like I've got one of the greatest jobs in the world being the Scoutmaster of Troop 17. The goal of Scouting is to train young men to be adults who value citizenship, character, and fitness. I know for sure that it has made me a better man.

I am also grateful that our family gets to live in such a wondrous place. Every day I get to walk these woods and feel the peace and timelessness of the forest. Today I was able to measure an old beech that I believe is the oldest in the hollow. The amazing thing is that it escaped my notice until just the other day. It's on the side of a steep hill and obscured from the view of the trail I've been walking.

Ancient beech tree, probably over 300 years old

Because of the hill, measurements are difficult, but it appears likely that this beech tree is about 300 years old. It is hollow, so we can never know for sure, but the most conservative calculations place it at 279 years. A more generous measurement places the tree as 366 years old. This old man of the forest is no longer growing; its crown broke out and rotted away some time ago. Since the calculations are for still-growing trees in prime environments, it may be that the higher estimate is more correct. Whatever the exact age, this tree is clearly very old, and that gives me some perspective on turning 52. I wouldn't doubt it if this old tree is still here when I am gone from these woods.

If only trees could talk! What would this old sentinel of the forest tell us? Would this beech be more comfortable by its Cherokee name, gusv? How many thunderstorms has it endured? Fires? What's the deepest snow it has ever seen? What has changed and what has remained the same in this timeless forest?

I know that I will revisit this tree often. It is my hope that we will become friends, that I will grow to feel something of its sense of time, that I too will grow wise and strong, enduring storm and hardship, and enjoying the peace of the forest. Maybe one day I too will be the old man of the forest.