Home > Articles > Photo Writing Prompts: Displays of Tree-mendous Growth

“What can you learn by observing a tree, with its endless branches of possibility?” — Chris Dunmire

Photo from the 'Nature Sentiments' Printable Card Collection »

Displays of Tree-mendous Growth

Twigs with sprigs of life springing forth.

By Chris Dunmire, CurrentLiving.com

In late 2004 my ally in creativity, Heather Blakey (Soul Food Cafe), mentored me through my first full-fledged Internet interview about my work with the Creativity Portal Web site.

This inaugural interview wasn't just a simple Q & A either — it was a supreme display of creative-interview-question-technique, which shouldn't come to any surprise if you've visited Heather's Web site and are familiar with her work, her many years as a writing teacher, and the online strides she's making for the education field. Now combine this with her natural creative gifts and Aussie-suaveness in the land down under and you'll have more insight into her questions like this one:

“The Boab has been a bounteous tree to the Aboriginal people of Australia. Almost every part of the tree is used in one way or another. The seed pods have a woody casing with a velvety covering that is scraped off to create artwork on the pod. The seed kernels are eaten raw or roasted, and are a highly nutritious food source. Leaves and roots are used for medicinal purposes, primarily gastric and chest complaints. The Boab's bark is used to make string, rope and twine, and the gum of the tree can be used as glue. I perceive you to be like a Boab Tree in that your creative brain child, the Creativity Portal, is bounteous. In what other ways are you like a Boab Tree?”

With this question (and the others), Heather introduced me to the metaphorical side of my "career life" and led me down a path of deep reflection towards realizing just how meaningful every single detail is. Until that specific question was posed to me, I never considered the unwasted utilization of a Boab tree and how every part is used and benefited from by the Aboriginal people of Australia and certainly not taken for granted. The illumination I experienced in relation to how "every act acts upon something else" was so bright that its light seeped into other areas of my consciousness. It was the beginning of my knowing and understanding of the "ripple-effect" of life and how everything is related.

Since that interview I have been more mindful of the metaphorical lessons of trees and very aware of their inspiring influence. The leaves, bark, roots, rings, branches, sprigs, and twigs of a tree are all parts of a whole. My appreciation for trees has only deepened in the last few years as I've been more tuned-in to their self-caring nature, the awe of their seasonal changes, and the knowing that their deeply rooted system underground mirrors their manifested growth above the soil. Ultimately, just like people, I see every tree as a harmoniously-working piece of art. And although the vibrant colors of the autumn season are my favorite, I've become very fond of the barren, leaf-less trees accenting the landscape during our Midwest winters.

The photo above captures this winter-esque state of a very favorite tree of mine near my hometown. Each time I drive by this tree, which is standing alone but tall at the edge of the roadside in front of a farmer's field, I feel a sense of reverence. This tree has been rooted in this location for over 100 years and has existed in time and space long before even my parents were conceived. The tree reminds me of an aged grandfather watching over us, who has seen it all, endured it all, and still stands tall in a most glorious display of beauty that I will never look away from for as long as my eyes can see.

Act on Your Inspiration — Photo Writing Prompts:

• Have you ever planted a tree from a tiny seedling and watched it grow into a tree-mendous work of art standing tall? What did you learn from the experience?

• The prolific growing of a tree's branches into sub-branches and then into twigs with sprigs of life springing forth into leaves can be thought of as our growing selves — our lives bending and forking into new directions and possibilities. What does this consideration of potential and possibility inspire in you?

• Do you have a favorite tree? Did you have one when you were a child? Did you climb it? Did you anticipate its vibrant colors changing and falling in autumn? What lessons did your tree teach you? •

© 2008 Chris Dunmire, CurrentLiving.com. All rights reserved. (01/28/08) Please do not duplicate this article elsewhere without my permission.

About the Author
Chris Dunmire is creatively engaged in life as an artist, writer, humorist, and publisher of the popular Creativity Portal Web site. She's trained as a creativity coach with Eric Maisel, Ph.D., and develops projects and playbooks to encourage creative thinking, artistic expression, and play in people of all ages. Learn more about Chris's books at CreativeSlush.com.