Time is a fascinating subject. It controls the most important aspects of life such as age, growth, and evolution. Time can be found in anything when you look in the right places and nature is no exception. I have spent the past several months returning weekly to a special place in Ohio that I picked out in the past. You could say since then, that I have changed a good amount. I have grown a mustache, endured the fall of my junior year of college, and continued to build relationships with the people I truly care about. It is fascinating to think that even over a couple of months, time has continued to run its course over myself and others around me. Now I have changed quite a bit, but what else has? I normally would write about maybe some friends or family members around me but instead, I would like to talk about my special place.

As time went on the tree changed. I watched as time took its course on the tree, noticing different symbols and hidden messages the tree would leave for me when I would visit. These were often through other forms of wildlife such as squirrels and birds When the weather got colder, the squirrels would seek shelter under the tree and look for warmth within the large branches. I noted this during some of my field notes during the month of November. I charted the boundaries of the system (the tree) and noted the movements of wildlife around the tree. The tree was expressing its compassion as I became more aware of the signs and ecosystem around me. Every relationship develops over time so this did not happen overnight. It took multiple weeks of listening and observing to the sound and movements of the tree itself. I watched as something I thought was a lifeless tree, became a companion to others even if it wasn’t myself and I truly appreciated that. I love seeing development and evolution with anything so it excited me to know that something as inhuman as a tree could change itself over time.

Time changed the appearance of the tree and its surrounding environment as well. From an outsider’s perspective, you could say that as the seasons changed towards a colder climate, the tree would lose its beauty (that being its leaves and vibrant colors). This was a very telling time for the growth of this massive oak tree, as it no longer was able to shelter itself and the details it hid underneath the vegetation. I had been observing the tree for long enough to not be startled by the almost lifeless tree. At this point our relationship evolved with time again. During our early stages, I only knew this tree as beautiful and vibrant, but I was now able to see its true colors. A change in time allowed me to recognize that this tree was a being of life. Nothing in the world is absent from time as anything and anyone will eventually change over periods of time. Whether it is a short couple of months, or millions of years past our existence, time will continue to affect life on earth.

While time is certainly accountable for the changes to my tree, there is a scientific explanation for the changes that are constantly occurring as time continues to progress. It is common knowledge that the changes in seasons cause changes in the coloring of trees but the process for these changes are frequently overlooked. During the summer months, trees are exposed to the longest possible days during the year which means they are able to take in the most sunlight. By absorbing more sunlight trees are able to make more chlorophyll which is a vital part of photosynthesis among plant life. Chlorophyll is also the main reason why leaves are green in the summer, as more chlorophyll is represented by the green coloring in plants. As the summer days start to come to an end, the days on earth become shorter as we transition into the fall season. With shorter days, there is less sunlight available, and the lack of sunlight is a signal to the tree to stop producing chlorophyll. This process causes the beautiful fall seasons with various colors from leaves as they are no longer producing anymore chlorophyll. As time goes on the green fades towards red, yellow, and orange.

In nature, time creates beauty over long periods. It can be short such as the seasonal change discussed above, but it can also be deep geological time creating beauty over millions of years. The state of Ohio did not see plant life across its landscape until the Mississippian period which was around 359 million years ago. Essentially the first tree in Ohio was over 300 million years ago, but the landscape has continued to change and evolve over time. This massive amount of time has allowed for many different trees to grow and prosper and I often think about the beauty we have and will miss in our lifetimes. I am thankful that I was able to find a place as beautiful as my special place and home to a fantastic tree. Given’s Grove, if I had to guess, is around 200-300 years old so I wonder how different the surrounding environment used to look around it 300 years ago.

My fall semester at Given’s Grove has allowed me to appreciate the changes I have observed over the past couple of months. I have realized that time is the most essential part of life as it allows for growth and change which is necessary for any living being in Ohio and on Earth. We often discuss the changes that we as humans undergo during the course of our lifetimes but the changes to our surrounding environment continue to evolve and expand even after we are no longer alive to be able to experience them. I often think back to the bench that I sat upon once a week to do my observations and think who else had the same experiences as me. What type of people were amazed at the same tree I was? Have I been the most consistent visitor in recent history? Will Given’s Grove be standing tall when my time on Earth is over? How different will Ohio’s landscape look by then? Time is of the essence so only time will be able to answer these questions. Thank you Given’s Grove for an unforgettable experience.