It was a drive-by happening; when I was 27 and looking for a piece of land in Florida on which to plant roots and raise a family, this ring of ancient oaks offered me a home, and I accepted. They would be a symbol of my strength, symbol of my faith, and place for meditation. While I don't consider myself a mystic or a pagan, I appreciate the physical and spiritual bonds between all things great and small. Under the protective canopy of these grand old oaks, I have raised a daughter and nurtured dogs, cats, rats, squirrels, guinea pigs, salamanders, birds, and termites. In meditation I have come to understand that I am here to protect these living giants; they are old and regenerating, and their tops arch to the ground. Truly powerful. Truly beautiful. Incredibly spiritual.
