Recently, I was having lunch with a chaplain colleague who shared about an article he read on earthquakes. My mouth fell agape behind my mask as he asserted that earthquakes are always happening. It’s just that we don’t feel them. Incredulous, I donned my Google scholar hat and did my own research. “Surely,” I thought to myself, “earthquakes can’t really be happening all of the time.” It turns out we were both right. While earthquakes aren’t happening all the time, the tectonic plates of the Earth’s surface are constantly moving (or so goes the theory). In other words, the very ground beneath our feet is always shifting. It’s when the stored energy from the friction of tectonic plates is released that earthquakes happen. I don’t know about you, but this year has felt like a series of earthquakes: the COVID-19 pandemic, murder hornets, national reckoning of racial injustice, climate change, election season, etc. While these realities may have always been present in some form, I’ve felt it like no other this year. As a flatlander (read: Midwesterner) I am left with an important question: How can an area so susceptible to devastating earthquakes also house the largest trees in the world?

Redwood trees aren’t known for having particularly deep roots. As a matter of fact, a 32 story Redwood tree might have roots that only go five or six feet deep. Instead, the strength lies in the intertwining of Redwood roots. Redwoods trees grow and thrive together, and a huge part of their resiliency is community. There is no individualism or sense of self-sufficiency for the tallest trees on Earth. So, the next time it feels like the ground under your feet is shaking, try to find a way to connect with a “Redwood friend” or even a “Redwood personal practice.”

-Jessica Easter sent on behalf of the Clerking Team