A Love Letter to Whoever Hurt This Tree
Map
Map
Story & Experience
Epping Forest is a beautiful strip of ancient woodland in London, with oak, beech, ash and chestnut trees, some of which are over 500 years old. I grew up walking and playing in this forest. Its stories, beings, paths and spirits are deeply woven into my soul. A sweet chestnut tree by Heronry Pond in Wanstead Park became a special, meaningful place for me. I would walk there most mornings to sit in her branches by the water and welcome the day.
One morning I arrived and the sweet chestnut and some of the surrounding smaller oaks had been vandalised with graffiti. Some of the markings were graphic and violent. The smell of the toxic bright blue and red spray paint was still strong. I was devastated and grieved deeply for the place that had come to represent solace, calm and peace to me and now felt unsafe. Over many weeks, with the support of friends, I was able to return and sit with the sweet chestnut again; touch her wounded bark and share my pain with hers. I felt that my body and her tree body were deeply connected.
I felt anger towards the people who had harmed the tree, but sweet chestnut taught me forgiveness. Their disconnection from nature is a wider wound that we are all suffering from and must learn to heal. In growing to love whoever did this, I might heal more too. Trees are always in their wholeness.
Epping Forest is a beautiful strip of ancient woodland in London, with oak, beech, ash and chestnut trees, some of which are over 500 years old. I grew up walking and playing in this forest. Its stories, beings, paths and spirits are deeply woven into my soul. A sweet chestnut tree by Heronry Pond in Wanstead Park became a special, meaningful place for me. I would walk there most mornings to sit in her branches by the water and welcome the day.
One morning I arrived and the sweet chestnut and some of the surrounding smaller oaks had been vandalised with graffiti. Some of the markings were graphic and violent. The smell of the toxic bright blue and red spray paint was still strong. I was devastated and grieved deeply for the place that had come to represent solace, calm and peace to me and now felt unsafe. Over many weeks, with the support of friends, I was able to return and sit with the sweet chestnut again; touch her wounded bark and share my pain with hers. I felt that my body and her tree body were deeply connected.
I felt anger towards the people who had harmed the tree, but sweet chestnut taught me forgiveness. Their disconnection from nature is a wider wound that we are all suffering from and must learn to heal. In growing to love whoever did this, I might heal more too. Trees are always in their wholeness.
Why this Place?
Epping Forest, London, UK
This ancient sweet chestnut tree and the surrounding oaks have sadly been vandalised by graffiti. Some of the images are graphic and rude. The toxins in spray paint can harm trees and most methods used to remove them are also dangerous for wildlife and the soil. To witness the violence of vandalising a living being, such as this tree, which has existed for thousands of years, has deeply moved me and I felt such grief for a world where we have become so detached from our more-than-human kin.
Act of Beauty
My act of radical joy was to sit with the sweet chestnut tree and, inspired by her eternal compassion, I wrote a ‘Love Letter to Whoever Hurt this Tree’ and tied it, along with the flag, to the trunk. These are the words I shared:
“This sweet chestnut tree is very special to me. She was a place of peace, calm and safety. To see her harmed and vandalised was devastating. But we have something in common, you and I. We are connected to this place. It has offered me deep healing. I don’t know your story; what you dream about, or what brings you pain, but from my heart I offer friendship. I offer acceptance. My healing is your healing. Our healing is sweet chestnut’s healing. Wounds are sacred places. I hold yours in my heart. Trees know all that we will become and you are loved.”
Additional Photos
RECENT STORIES
Regeneration at the Buffalo River
For our second year, our Global Earth Exchange brought together members of Lynda’s longstanding Active Hope group and family and friends inspired by Radical Joy’s ethos and practice, to observe the Summer Solstice with new[...]
Listening to the Sawkill
Solstice Saturday, June 21, in Woodstock, NY, eight of us gathered in the woods along the banks of the stream where we were headed a shortways upstream to the site of an ancient handbuilt dam[...]
Earth is sacred, whatever its state
The "Earth Matters" ministry of Irvine United Congregational Church hosted this event early on Sunday morning. It was new and we were pleased that four of us showed up. We had originally planned to have[...]