Sitting at my desk in The Cascade office, through the window I can see three great Douglas firs. One of them tilts towards the other, whispering secrets to his friend as the wind sways them back and forth.
I am very convinced that trees can talk, whispering to one another as people scurry by beneath them. I think they judge us, constantly moving, never pausing to feel the rain on our barks or the wind in our leaves. The tallest trees at UFV have been around since before the university was here. The trees have watched us build and learn, squabble and make up.
My Douglas firs have watched me as I’ve struggled from my car with armloads of school work, and whispered to friends at my late night studying. I like to think they worry a little about us, wondering why we move so fast, but we’re probably too small to even be noticed by the towering giants.
Image: Simar Haer/The Cascade
