It's in the Roots

Posted on August 26, 2024 by Jonathan Ger, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.

Awe
As I looked up from the ground level of this mighty Chestnut Oak, I was immediately taken by the enormity of what I was seeing as well as the plethora of “sister and brother” trees that were all around it. We were hiking in the higher elevation points of the Catoctin Mountains where this species of Oak is prominent. There are many of them around us and there are also other species at the different levels of the forest. I didn’t know any of that at the time, nor did I know how old this great tree was.  I was simply in awe of everything that has happened around this beauty while it continued to reach for the sky with a majestic wisdom. My research after getting home identified the tree and told me how to calculate it’s approximate age…get this… it’s approximately 265 years old!!! YOWZA!
We are very lucky in the state of Maryland. We truly do get to see every season, ocean and mountains and everything in-between. What’s special about this tree? On one hand you could say that it’s just like the others around it, so perhaps nothing is special about it… OR… you could allow yourself to realize that each and everyone of these tress is special. It’s already survived over 200 years! Think of everything that has happened in the area around these tress during that timeframe and everything that happened in the world during the same timeline. It’s almost incomprehensible!
We are one
I am a nature enthusiast. I have always been. As kids, our favorite thing to do was to play in the woods. We were fortunate to have endless acres of untouched, natural areas for us to enjoy all aspects of what Mother Nature has to offer. As a kid I didn’t understand how fortunate I was, but as an adult I do; isn’t that the truth about most things ;)
You will often see or hear coaches talking about nature or actually spending time in nature while they conduct their practice. There are many retreats, group sessions and individual sessions that involve “being out” in all that we have around us. The deeper that I dive into how to be the best coach that I can be, the more that I realize why so many of my colleagues have included nature into what they do. For me, it is as simple as this: we are part of nature. The more that we connect to that, the more grounded we are in life. There is actual energy that flows from the ground, into all living things, including US! 
Deeper
It’s actually deeper than that. In many cases it is really, REALLY deep! When we are one with nature, we also tend to feel a strength, a connection, that is difficult to describe. I know that when I feel the most stressed, I can hike through the woods and literally feel my tension lift. It is easy to see the beauty of the nature surrounding us. There are colors, smells, wildlife, streams, all kinds of growth and amidst all of it are the beautiful, statuesque trees. That in itself can elevate one’s mood, and that is deep. There are a lot of lessons to be learned by the experience. Perhaps it’s just seeing and being aware of the beauty that surrounds you. Maybe it’s that this land feels like home because it’s always been here… ALWAYS! Could it be because we get all of our nutrients from the earth? Any of the above could be right and frankly, all of the above could be right. All that really matters is which one feels right to you!? The energy is real and the energy seeps into our bodies anytime and every time that we put ourselves into its “belly”. The other side of depth is in the roots…
Roots
None of this occurs without the roots. Of course rain and sun play a huge part in the growth, but without the roots, the trees will fall; they actually will never really grow. 
Who are we without our roots? About 5 or 6 years ago I took that trip to Walla Walla, Washington that I have written about and shared a picture from an earlier post. What I didn’t tell you was that we were there for a family reunion on my wife’s side. It was a side of her family that she hadn’t had a lot of contact with. When my wife was a baby she lost her father. Much of his side of the family had migrated out to the western part of the US. This included a brother, some aunts, uncles, first, second and distant cousins and many more.  There were about 100 people there and my wife hadn’t seem many of them for over 50 years! This reunion took place on the property of one her cousins, which was a farm with nature all around. It was gorgeous and provided us with amazing views. I walked some of the property and also sat back and watched my wife interact with her family. It was mesmerizing to watch my wife immediately and completely connect with “her roots” after all this time.  They were deeply and intimately connected. Many of her relatives had never lived on “our side” of the country and had never met my wife and yet here they were laughing and reminiscing about the commonality that they shared… their roots! It was one of the most meaningful moments I have experienced as an onlooker. I was a part of all of it, but it was what I watched and how it made me feel that carried the most weight.
Tying it all together
Next time that you find yourself feeling down, stressed, in need of elevation, stuck or simply wanting inspiration, head outdoors! Look at it all, take it all in. There’s a reason that there’s a saying to “take time to smell the roses”. Look out, look in, look down & look up! Touch nature, feel nature and reach out to that tree. Think about how strong the roots must be to hold a 100’ tree in place for more than 2 centuries (and going strong) and digest how your roots can strengthen you. There is power in the roots and when you access that power, you can live a majestic life, just like the magnificent Chestnut Oak in my picture. The answers lie within and there are many ways to access them. If you find yourself needing help to get there, reach out for help. I’m here, accessing my own roots and ready to share your journey with you! It’s all part of the Papa Perspective…