An Elder And Grandmother Shows How To Touch The Future Winds
Lois Red Elk doesn't need poetry to live beyond her time. In just 124 words, she reveals how all of us can pay forward positive thoughts to benefit wildlife and people we may never know
The backyard of the Red Elk-Reed residence on the prairie near Wolf Point, Montana. Lois and her husband believe you're never too old to keep thinking about the future; in fact, it's one of the virtuous things young people expect in their elders, and it's what earns them respect in their community. Photo courtesy Lois Red Elk.
by Lois Red Elk
My husband and I have planted 32 trees in our yard. All of them are taller than us. Some of our trees are 30 feet high. We have grown with them, talk to them, welcomed all the birds, their nests, eggs and babies. We have been priveledged to have watched the birds feeding habits, their thankfulness, their happy and playful actions and more. The trees are starting to bud now and offer hues of green, gray, yellow and brown bark. We love the shade, the berries, the intoxicating smells and other little creatures that arrive to enjoy also. I could go on and on about the company and dialogue they offer but right now they are bowing and telling me a wind is arriving.
MoJo Note: Want to have a positive ripple effect? Plant a tree, bush, wildflower or drought-resistant grass—but make sure it is a species native to your region. In one fell swoop you can help birds, mammals, pollinators, store carbon, save water, provide shade and give a gift of beauty that may outlive you. (If you have a neighbor who lives on a tight budget, ask them if they'd like a tree for their yard). This is the 50th anniversary year of the Arbor Day Foundation. In 2018, the Arbor Day Foundation launched the Time for Trees initiative to plant 100 million trees in forests and communities around the world and engage 5 million tree planters by the 50th Anniversary of the Foundation in 2022. Through its global reforestation program, the Arbor Day Foundation and international partners have replanted more than 108 million trees lost to fire, insects, disease, and weather in forests in the United States around the world. These rejuvenated forests help to protect watersheds, stabilize soil, restore wildlife habitats, improve air quality and create jobs.
