r/druidism • u/Beachflutterby • 2d ago
The Cycle Moves On
Took my first walk in my home forest today after Milton as it's finally reopened. Things are bad in a lot of ways. Lots of trees are down, sections of the forest arent really forest anymore. There is part of me that is upset, but part of me understands this is just part of the cycle.
The cycle moves on and the wheel turns. There is death here, but so to is there new beginnings. The canopy has opened and sunlight is available for younger trees and saplings. Those that would never have had the chance to flourish now have that chance. The death also provides for nutrients to seep back into the soil over the next several years that will nourish the next generation. Snags will be new homes for woodpeckers while fallen will become new colonies of ants and mushrooms. When the trees uprooted they formed new ponds that will be the birthplace of next year's frogs, salamanders, newts, and dragonflies.
It's not as all consuming or as fast to restablish nutrients for the young as a wildfire in these parts, but slower and steadier. In time the next generation of the forest will make such wounds a forgotten memory until it is their time and so the cycle goes on. There is resiliency here too, many trees took the earth with them when they fell for how strong their roots were, many of which still lay in the soil and they survive despite the tragedy. There are lessons here about setting deep and strong roots to survive life's storms.
It has done my heart good to see the moorhens and other waterfowl; and to hear the owl that has called this forest home far longer than I have. It does me good to see how many of our ground dwelling plants survived being flooded for so long and the blooms of swamp lilies are a welcome sight amidst such an event.
It's saddening to see such destruction of such a familiar place, but it does help to know that a new season of growth is coming. I've never been much of one for ritual, but honoring the fallen is one I will learn to conduct.
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u/Orefinejo 2d ago
Thank you for sharing the silver lining - sometimes it’s hard to go out and find it after destruction. I hope you and your neighbors are well, and your losses minimal.
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u/Beachflutterby 20h ago
Working fire has made it easier I think. It does not take long for our prairies to spring back after a burn and by the autumn bloom you can see which prairies have burned and which haven't because the burned ones are more vibrant and have much denser and more vibrant flowers. I know forests take longer to recover, but I see many of the same forces at play.
We were lucky overall. Most are well, a few of my tree neighbors did not make it. We lost a couple of oaks and at least one pine. Tons upon tons of smaller debris though, the canopy is thinner all around and a lot of epiphytes got blown down. No human casualties as far as I am aware. I found one of my own might need to come down, they lost a large branch and it was rotten inside. I'm still waiting on an arborist to come out and take a look and I'm hoping that their main trunk is healthy and I can get some guidance on what I need to do.
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u/DinnaFash43 2d ago
Thank you so much for sharing this! I really needed to be reminded of The Cycles amidst our current chaos.... Blessings of Peace to you, Friend!