Tree & Me: The Big Tree Knew

Tree & Me is a storytelling series from Leaf & Limb. In each issue, we feature a personal story about trees from one of our readers. This month, our story was written by Jenny from Apex.

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The Big Tree Knew

When my husband pulled over to show me a wooded lot, I wasn’t thinking about a house. I was thinking about the woods.

I wandered in alone. Old farm roads like tunnels, branches meeting overhead. A small pond. And then: an enormous oak. A few feet away, a blue bottle caught my eye, half-buried, and just beyond it, an old farm dump full of bottles and rusted tools.

I pocketed a few finds, looked up at the Big Tree on my way out, and thought: Thank you. You just showed me our new home.

Our four children grew up in those woods. Then twelve years passed. When we started thinking about our next chapter, the hardest part of leaving was the forest.

One afternoon I was on the screen porch, turning the question over: should we stay or go? Then I heard it: a crack, then a long, slow, rolling crash.

I walked toward the Big Tree. It had split open about fifteen feet up, the weight of its multiple trunks finally pulling apart at an area where decay had set in.

I placed my hand on the trunk and stayed a while.

The same tree that had called us to this place had released us to move on.

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Have your own tree story?

Do you have a tree that holds a special place in your heart? Maybe it’s a childhood climbing tree, a backyard favorite, or one you planted in memory of someone you love.

Please share your story with us to celebrate the powerful connection between people and trees. You can do so by filling out the form below. Each month, we will select a new story to be featured in this “Tree & Me” series.