Little Ol’ Me With a Majestic Royal Tree –
I see you, standing there, supreme,
untouchable now,
in all your 500 years or so of glory
enveloped in shades of green,
veins transporting life, all through you and around you.
Your sensitive core, your delicate roots hidden,
but I see your beautiful life and wisdom within.
This new railing now erected,
so protected, is your long life, from outside forces,
Especially us humans, I guess a reflection of the world right now eh!
I sit and watch you in awe, for your longevity, determination,
Your resistance, unwavering strength, through all your centuries.
From that smallest seed you grew,
Withstanding so many external forces, to be here…
your resilience is tangible to me,
from the inner you, to the inner me, almost touchable
even though I can no longer touch you physically,
now I believe, I feel you more considerably,
than I ever have before.
I think, how you could tell a story,
or five hundred, with all you’ve been through.
Then, at that very moment,
as if in a distant faint, but definite whisper
I hear you speak
of a person, a lady, just like me here now,
who pensively sat with amaze, eyes agaze, at your same strength
she too awed at the wonder of your magnificent growth
from a seed so tiny in comparison…
But for her the years rolled on with time and greying hair
by her, nothing was done, only sitting, pondering on ideas
and then time was no more for her.
but you said you feel her energy rise in the earth beneath you.
In life, she did not persevere with her ideas;
didn’t realise that, from small steps comes greatness
but because she did not believe, she did not DO
And so it passed, – the time and she got lost in a life
she was conditioned to.
That one and only life that body ever knew,
never exploring other options or perspectives,
– her mind held her back so her life it did lack….
meaning and purpose…
You said you did try to energise her but she didn’t feel it….
And as I listened attentively to you Great Oak –
with my open ears, my open heart, mind and senses
– I heard you whisper, your greatest wisdom of all…
Hope is a seed, and like a seed it takes nourishing, nurturing, connection, unconditional love
to grow, bloom, blossom, flourish, live, sustain, maintain, survive, but most important of all
learning to trust and to thrive – knowing in all it’s time that seed, is growing down before it
starts growing up, in the dark, leaning into resistance, it will pause, it will shed the old, it will
welcome the new, it will shift, it will turn, it will reflect, but it will always aim to rise and
grow towards the sun…. when it breaks through to the light, thereafter it is growing up and
down all at the same time, better braver for all the changes it will ever overcome….
All the while, in every step, diminishing the power of fear – nurturing the power of hope.
So yes, take heed, take your time, have gentle patience but rise little by little every day
– and then YOU SAY,
Protect your roots,
your fruit system reflects your root system,
inside out matters, as you grow…
what you can’t see under the surface
needs to be nurtured and nourished continually,
so stay connected and come what may
- build on humanity’s empathy and resilience
This is where I learnt it from, nature, my natural instinct from all-round me;
I give life, I feed life, I shade life, I love life, I welcome life
within me and on those nests on my branches,
I support all, and so I also receive…..
Oxygen breathes life out of me….
All around is not rushed but happy to just sit,
being, living, breathing
Just like me an Ancient Old Oak Tree
Doing nothing, but doing everything by simply being
and taking time, sharing my energy, being with you here now….
Then I say…. How nature’s truths are simple,
it’s the lies we humans tell ourselves that are complex and complicate.
Oh, Great Oak Tree, thank you,
thank you for this time and wisdom you have shared with me
this great understanding and awareness…
and reminding me, just like nature, to authentically be
You have most certainly inspired me,
and I leave this park and your company, utterly grateful.
2022 – Bruce Castle Park dedicated to my awe of the The Great Old Oak
Words from the heart and soul of Patricia Ahern @pacoaching.co.uk
I see you, standing there, supreme,
untouchable now,
in all your 500 years or so of glory
enveloped in shades of green,
veins transporting life, all through you and around you.
Your sensitive core, your delicate roots hidden,
but I see your beautiful life and wisdom within.
This new railing now erected,
so protected, is your long life, from outside forces,
Especially us humans, I guess a reflection of the world right now eh!
I sit and watch you in awe, for your longevity, determination,
Your resistance, unwavering strength, through all your centuries.
From that smallest seed you grew,
Withstanding so many external forces, to be here…
your resilience is tangible to me,
from the inner you, to the inner me, almost touchable
even though I can no longer touch you physically,
now I believe, I feel you more considerably,
than I ever have before.
I think, how you could tell a story,
or five hundred, with all you’ve been through.
Then, at that very moment,
as if in a distant faint, but definite whisper
I hear you speak
of a person, a lady, just like me here now,
who pensively sat with amaze, eyes agaze, at your same strength
she too awed at the wonder of your magnificent growth
from a seed so tiny in comparison…
But for her the years rolled on with time and greying hair
by her, nothing was done, only sitting, pondering on ideas
and then time was no more for her.
but you said you feel her energy rise in the earth beneath you.
In life, she did not persevere with her ideas;
didn’t realise that, from small steps comes greatness
but because she did not believe, she did not DO
And so it passed, – the time and she got lost in a life
she was conditioned to.
That one and only life that body ever knew,
never exploring other options or perspectives,
– her mind held her back so her life it did lack….
meaning and purpose…
You said you did try to energise her but she didn’t feel it….
And as I listened attentively to you Great Oak –
with my open ears, my open heart, mind and senses
– I heard you whisper, your greatest wisdom of all…
Hope is a seed, and like a seed it takes nourishing, nurturing, connection, unconditional love
to grow, bloom, blossom, flourish, live, sustain, maintain, survive, but most important of all
learning to trust and to thrive – knowing in all it’s time that seed, is growing down before it
starts growing up, in the dark, leaning into resistance, it will pause, it will shed the old, it will
welcome the new, it will shift, it will turn, it will reflect, but it will always aim to rise and
grow towards the sun…. when it breaks through to the light, thereafter it is growing up and
down all at the same time, better braver for all the changes it will ever overcome….
All the while, in every step, diminishing the power of fear – nurturing the power of hope.
So yes, take heed, take your time, have gentle patience but rise little by little every day
– and then YOU SAY,
Protect your roots,
your fruit system reflects your root system,
inside out matters, as you grow…
what you can’t see under the surface
needs to be nurtured and nourished continually,
so stay connected and come what may
- build on humanity’s empathy and resilience
This is where I learnt it from, nature, my natural instinct from all-round me;
I give life, I feed life, I shade life, I love life, I welcome life
within me and on those nests on my branches,
I support all, and so I also receive…..
Oxygen breathes life out of me….
All around is not rushed but happy to just sit,
being, living, breathing
Just like me an Ancient Old Oak Tree
Doing nothing, but doing everything by simply being
and taking time, sharing my energy, being with you here now….
Then I say…. How nature’s truths are simple,
it’s the lies we humans tell ourselves that are complex and complicate.
Oh, Great Oak Tree, thank you,
thank you for this time and wisdom you have shared with me
this great understanding and awareness…
and reminding me, just like nature, to authentically be
You have most certainly inspired me,
and I leave this park and your company, utterly grateful.
2022 – Bruce Castle Park dedicated to my awe of the The Great Old Oak
Words from the heart and soul of Patricia Ahern @pacoaching.co.uk
