I have been here since before you were born. You need me as much as I need you, together we help shape this world, and together we help sustain it. I ask for nothing in return when you cut into my skin and tear it away to use for your own purposes. I keep you cool when the weather is hot and humid; I give you many kinds of nutrition from apples to oranges to bananas to peaches. I am everywhere if you took the time to see; I rustle when the wind blows and bathe in the rain when it falls. I am the home to many animals from squirrels to birds.
When I do all this for you and other creatures of the world why do you hurt me?
I do not discriminate, I do not hate so why do you? I live to serve you, to help you when you need it, so why do you cut my brothers and sisters down. I cover this whole planet and so do you but I do not hurt the environment I live in so why do you? I help clean the air but you pollute it. Leave your cars behind there are better ways to get to where you are going. My roots are deeply connected to my home but as time goes on you seem to forget where you come from. I change my colors with the seasons but your moods change every minute.
I do not use my leaves to spread hate so why do you use your tongues in that manner? I spread my arms out in invitation to anyone who needs it but you use your arms to hold guns and knives. Water makes me grow but you use it to dump your waste. I use the sun for warmth and energy but you use gasoline, I use the wind to carry my seeds to their destination but you use propeller blades, jet engines and mechanical motors. I coexist peacefully with my neighbors but you start wars. When I fall in the woods I do make a sound even if no one is around to hear it but your piercing chainsaws make even more clatter. You rip me from the ground to build giant steel skyscrapers, which are homes to those who have forgotten how fresh the air feels.
Take my life as an example, live as I do, enjoy nature and the world around you. Do not wait till it is all gone to realize this precious gift Mother Nature has given. We are all connected; we are all part of the same family. We all have our roots embedded in this wonderful bright green blue world so do not turn it dark and grey. Let us spread the olive branch of peace around, be like me, the tree.
