This is Peanut Butter Brickle. I bet you won’t believe this. But ever since I was a puppy, a mere lad, persons have thought that I was old.
Apparently, my wisdom and intelligence were too much for others, even at such a young age. Now that I’m 14 and a half, I have grown into my looks. Persons always call me an old timer now when they see me on the trails. But they don’t know I have always acted like this.
Some persons have also called me an old soul because of my calmness. Because of my all knowing glare. And yes, I do know a lot. My years of life have taught me a lot about myself and others. And that if we acknowledge the ways we have grown, even if it means acknowledging the mistakes we have made or acknowledging the individuals we used to be were not acceptable. That can be hard.
That’s what I was thinking about as we walked thru an old growth forest yesterday in this North Carolina place.
The trees are what they call old growth. Quite uncommon. Quite old. Quite breathtaking. Like me.
The trees have been allowed to grow naturally or fall naturally. They are protected. They have been allowed to bend with the sun. Or to stay in the shade.
The forest will change over time with the trees. And the trees will change with the forest over time. But no person will be allowed to cut them down. Or to build anything over them or with them.
You can admire the old growth trees. And in turn, take their energy to make yourself stand taller. Firmer.
Doesn’t nature teach us all we need to know? It does.
But persons are so busy, they don’t spend the time to observe nature. And it’s been there for longer than they have.
Old growth is among us. Do we learn from others? Do we learn from our old selves and vow not to repeat mistakes that made us into something we didn’t want to be? If you’ve changed, acknowledge that old growth. I’m proud of you. But don’t stop there.
Whether you have learned to be kinder to animals or to help people…I’m proud of you. If you’ve done things you aren’t proud of, how can you show you have grown into a better version of yourself? By actions. By love. By being an example. Old growth makes the world a better place. And so do you. This week, I keep thinking of Digby.
And how he would have loved this little adventure. I certainly grew better because of him. And even though I’m almost two years older than when we last saw each other, I know that just like the old growth forest, im still here. And I aim to enjoy this for us both. I won’t let him down.
–Peanut Butter Brickle
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