The Giving Tree

Greetings Friends,

It's not a well kept secret that I love nature. Hiking is one of my favorite hobbies and I actually only got super into it a year or two ago. Since then, I have done tons of trails and am hooked. Every long break I have, I usually try to squeeze in a handful of new hikes. Oh, that's my other thing, I won't say never, but I seldom hike the same trail twice. Life is short and there is so much to see. As a self-proclaimed explorer, I want to see as much of it as I can.

Even though I grew up near Los Angeles, I would say I consider San Diego to be my city. I didn't get a car until my third year in college so although my parents lugged me around everywhere I didn't get to know Los Angeles like I know San Diego. That being said, in my quest to unlock the Angeleno achievement in this game we call life, I was on the hunt for a Los Angeles hidden gem. Enter the Giving Tree.

Are you familiar with the story? Written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein, the story follows the relationship between a needy little boy and a very generous tree. As the boy becomes an old man, the moral of the story becomes one of sacrifice as there is nothing left for the tree to give. Even so, the Giving Tree is able to honor the old man's last request and offer him a quiet place to sit and rest. I love this story. I love that so much can be made from a series of occurrences between just two characters - simple yet profound. It resonates.

Located inside Bronson Canyon, a quick 10 minute walk will bring you to the Giving Tree - a real life manifestation of a childhood story. The idea that people can jot down their thoughts and worries and stow them away in the hollow of a tree. Poetic isn't it? I certainly thought so.

With the new year quickly approaching, I had a chance to reflect and I realized that I have few worries. This year I completed my Master's degree and got hired, almost immediately, to teach my dream grade. Six months ago, I decided to start this blog and am proud that six months later I haven't abandoned ship. I continue to have an amazingly supportive family, circle of friends, and boyfriend. What is there to worry about? Being a first year teacher, although it has brought me incredible joy, has also been a source of tremendous stress and doubt for me. So as I prepare to roll into 2013 and finish off the second half of my first year of teaching, I wrote down a few requests of my own and placed it in the Giving Tree.

I know it's a little early, but Happy New Year everyone! See you all in 2013! :)