The Incredible Strength We Gain From Reaching Out

I have learned a lot over the years from my contemplative walks through the ancient redwood forests that grace the California coast.  There are many reasons why they have lived so long and grown so tall, ever reaching for the heavens.

The fog that rolls in along the Pacific Northwest is essential to not only the trees, but the entire forest ecosystem. This life-giving water collects on their needles where it drops to the ground and into the roots and other plant life including new saplings. This fog drip allows them to survive the long dry periods with no rain. 

I have walked through these redwood forests and have watched this process, always amazed at the way nature works to keep things growing. But lately, it is what we don’t see that intrigues me.

It is hidden beneath the earth in the intertwining of their roots. 

A network of support

You would think that being so tall, their roots would need to extend far beneath them, but they actually only go down about 5 to 6 feet into the ground.  Certainly not deep enough to support their great height. 

It is in reaching for those trees closest to them where they gain their real strength. A redwood tree’s root system will stretch up to 100 feet away from the trunk and will intertwine with as many neighboring trees as it can. 

This interwoven network of roots forms a web of strength to keep the trees upright and helps them withstand high winds and raging floods. They survive and thrive because they are connected. Redwood trees are more likely to fall down when adjacent trees fall because they have lost this powerful support. 

The connection with others

With all the raging fiery darts of the adversary trying to make us fall, we do so much better when we connect to those around us. We can gain strength and courage from their support to help us grow straight and tall and true.

And we can be that strength for others.

Plus, we tend to be much more careful with our lives when we realize that everything we do vibrates through this network. It is no wonder then that the 2nd greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves.