OT: OK, So I Admit That I Am A Tree Hugger
True confession: I am a tree hugger. While I believe pretty strongly in protecting the environment, I am not rabid about it as you might expect from this admission. Rather, I hug trees....not all the time or even that often, but I do physically hug them on occasion. You don't always know whether to believe the things you find on the internet, but awhile back I was struggling with depression and self-worth issues and I read that some Native American cultures believed that you could draw strength from hardwood trees and sensuality or fertility from trees that produce resin, like pine trees. Feeling the need for more of those things, I gave it a try. I did feel stronger for having hugged a few of the oak trees in my yard. I don't know if it was their sturdiness, the knowledge of their longevity in the face of many tough Minnesota winters or my need to draw strength from somewhere, but it seemed to help me feel stronger and more sure-footed emotionally. As for hugging a pine tree.....um, it was pretty sticky and I didn't notice any particular change in myself, physically or otherwise. While the image of a grown man hugging a tree might seem, well, humorous, I have found it to be helpful when I am feeling down. My point in bringing it up here is that most of us find ourselves looking for strength at different points on our WLS journey and hugging a tree might be an alternative to consider if nothing else seems to help.
RP
Sorry, but the vision of you hugging a tree......Just made me laugh....
Kelly
Imperfect does not = unsuccessful
What ever works for a person, even if it is odd, I say go for it!
Kelly/tink
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