February 5, 2001: Mark on history

To whom it may concern,
Three weeks ago, I set out to fill an empty aged forest with a second chance. We often assume that nature knows how to take care of itself—how can it if men keep destroying it? I’ve seen unexpected erosion and watched as vines have grown over thin whispers of what should be a tree with leaves. A forest that’s two in a half blocks in length stands within inches of dying a foolish mans death. I chose to listen—the fifteen hundredth tree was planted behind my house…no one will know of its place unless I document it.

Note: The first and final seedlings didn’t survive the on going drought. One in twenty achieve full growth—nearing the two-year anniversary I still cry while wading through the most incredible color of blue the white pine offers. No day passes that we don’t touch each other’s ambitions—to watch them glow during a morning sunrise is the greatest gift God has ever shared, especially when a tiny wood spider has developed its webbed plan to catch crazy flying things within the trees needles.