Ramblings - First published December 2020
Ramblings from David
From little acorns the mighty grows
This year in the UK the Oak Tree was having a ‘mast year’. A mast year is something that happens every few years – usually 5 – 10 years. It sees an abundance in the production of seeds, nuts or berries of the species that is in mast. In the case of the Oak, acorns have been carpeting the woodland floor.
There is a synchronicity within all of a particular species which causes all of them, from the most southern to the most northern areas of the country, to mast. There are a lot of theories about reasons why certain species do this, but science is unable to explain the method of communication that causes the initial process - i.e. how do all of the oak trees communicate with each other.
It has been seen by science that established forests have intricate networks of communication between plants. There is detectable communication and nutrient exchange in amicable unions between species. This physical network however does not extend throughout all of the land. So what makes our beloved Oak trees all decide to go into mast at the same time.
Do some botanists believe that there is a single tree occupying a level of authority to which all the other trees will defer and hear its sage decision with a command to ‘mast’? Is that tree in a remote part of the Highlands of Scotland or ensconced in the enclave next to Paddington Station. All important questions if the premise is correct and we are to maintain the species. Mmmh… maintain the species. With whose authority does man act in assuming a position that maintaining a species is our responsibility?
Just maybe, there isn’t a single oak tree, as far as we understand, that holds court over the destiny of others. Maybe a message from the life of the world releases the trees from doing their normal yearly cycle and lets them know that NOW is the time for abundance and they just do it. They don’t think about it, they don’t decide, they just do it because the message, the communication, has come from the place that is beyond reproach – nothing can persuade them otherwise.
Herds of Wildebeest migrate. Is the plan for the timing and destination discussed and debated before they set off? Do the Wildebeest defer to their leader? The action of migration is described as an instinct. Is it God? Is it part of the thing that the World is? It is the instigator of instinct that eludes science; what is it that drives the unified actions of species. Do they know?
A person may try to apply an intellectual understanding to decide if they love someone but that is maybe like someone trying to understand God. It is not possible. An attempt to understand could reduce what is rich and strong in their own lives. How many who never question love live a richer and happier life than those who do?
