or: An Impressive Tree
One of the places I like to visit while I’m in Sydney is the Royal Botanic Garden.
It’s to pay tribute to a tree.
The Gardens themselves are amazing, surrounded by Sydney Harbour, the CBD and Woolomooloo, there are no shortage of views and it’s surprisingly quiet. The Art Gallery of NSW is also close by and a great outdoor concert venue at The Domain where I’ve spent quite a bit of time over the years.
The tree though, is important.
The tree was my end goal for quite a few months, many years ago now.
This tree stood firm and shaded me as I fell into it to touch it before turning around again. I had ran there and I could now walk home. It was late afternoon / early evening and it was warm.
I would reach this tree and give it a slap. A very soft slap because I had no energy left. More like a pat that you would give a kitten. I was thinking a slap though. It was a pat with an intent.
It was the tree’s fault I had to run to it. It should have been planted closer. Why did it need to be at exactly 1 kilometre?
This tree marked one whole kilometre from where I “had” to start running to where I was “allowed” to stop. The quotation marks are because this was all given to me as instructions and while I could exhibit freewill, the words were said with such force that I’m not sure my freewill could have overcome it. I am now pleased it didn’t.
I wasn’t then.
I was annoyed, angry and frustrated. I thought it was at being forced to run. It was really at myself for allowing myself to get into this state in the first place. I had never been that unfit or large before.
I was annoyed, angry and frustrated. I thought it was at being forced to run. It was really at myself for allowing myself to get into this state in the first place. I had never been that unfit or large before.
As soon as we left home, I started whinging and carrying on but the need to breathe was stronger and I couldn’t do both simultaneously. I shuffled to that tree, turned around and walked home again.
I began doing this regularly and started going in the mornings instead. Less people, more space, stunning colous as the sun greeted the day. It is difficult to even feel the need to mentally whinge when greeted by all of this and the occasional other runner / walker giving the standard head nod greeting. I was in. I was one of them. I had become a morning runner.
My mindset shifted. I began to look forward to running. I began to look forward to seeing that tree and not so I could tough it, turn around and walk back. To touch it and run on, run to the Opera House, run around Circular Quay, run to the Bridge, turn around and run back, touch the tree again and keep running.
So I go and see this tree to thank it for it’s unwavering support in my time where I really needed it. It was a goal, then a signpost and now it is a reminder.
Never give up. Whinging is misspent energy since I’ll have to do whatever it is anyway. Goals are important and it’s great to see when I’m getting close. When I hit a goal I can go further. There is no need to stop (unless I definitely can’t breathe). There isn’t really an end. It is all in the mind.
A Tree that said so much while saying absolutely nothing.
A Tree that said so much while saying absolutely nothing.