It was during bedtime not long ago, when my eight-year-old son shared his dream of becoming Luke Skywalker when he grows up. It was a fun moment of love + laughter, and a wonderful example of the unbounded, magical dreams of children.  It reminded me of the time when I, too, believed anything was possible and the only limits were my own imagination. 

I love trees. I think they are my favorite life-form after humans. In college I had the opportunity to plant many trees as part of an environmental project. These were small seedlings about 6-12 inches in size – helpless twigs that were vulnerable to lawnmowers, deer, foot-traffic and a host of other environmental factors. The ones that survived transformed into behemoth entities that would provide shade for people, sanctuary for animals and even entertainment for young climbing children.  Planting and caring for trees gave me a new-found appreciation for our symbiotic friends.