I wish I had a recording of some of the trees I’ve heard squeaking in the forest. At first I was quite startled when I realized trees could make these unexpected noises. Leaves rustling in the wind I understood but the creaking and squeaking sounds didn’t make any sense. Until one day Dad and I were walking in the bush when he told me to stop and listen. The trees were talking. Very faintly I could hear the wind blow and then the slow sway of the tall poplar trees shifted slightly and then came the squeaking.
Upon closer inspection I could see the sound was a result of branches making contact with each other. Other times I discovered that the older trees with rotting trunks would creak and also produce some strange sounds. It would sometimes sound a little creepy in the forest almost like a scary movie soundtrack but I’d pretend that the trees were just speaking in their tree language and greeting us.
Besides the creaking and squeaking it was important to listen for other sounds coming from the trees when out for a walk. The sound of crackling twigs or branches could alert you of a large animal nearby. The sudden rustle of leaves from a high wind would alert us of severe weather headed our way. The simple pitter patter of rain drops would be a lovely sound but also a reminder to head back home in case of a storm approaching.
Over the years I’ve thought of myself as a very good listener. I can pick up on the small details of not just conversations but sounds people make when they have certain emotions. I’ve been called “sensitive” because of this and I am. Some people are just naturally sensitive to all the sounds around them. Sometimes it can be a little distracting and other times I wish someone would tune into me and understand why perhaps I’ve been sighing or why I have been in silence. I’ll never understand how some people are able to completely zone everything out around them and not hear a word when they are spoken to. I possess this ability too but rarely use it unless I need to go to sleep. But other times my ears are alert and hear everything. If I don’t hear you I’m probably ignoring you on purpose 😛
The trees have spoken to me in ways I never really understood until I sat down and wrote this post. Amazing how a simple walk in the woods can really fine tune your hearing.
Lesson Learned:
Listening to the trees speak will allow you to hear others around you more clearly.