072 Room to Breathe
Hey Trees, you grow side by side for years, and at the very top you stop just short of touching, leaving a thin line of sky between you.
Do we leave each other room to breathe?
Do you leave the people close to you room to breathe?
Lie on your back in a forest and look straight up.
The treetops fill the sky, but between them run thin, bright lines of blue, like cracks in a puzzle.
What really happens
In some forests, the crowns of neighbouring trees stop just short of touching, leaving narrow gaps of sky.
This is called crown shyness. Scientists are still studying why it happens. One idea is that branches rubbing in the wind damage each other's tips.
How we know: Crown shyness is seen in several tree species; its exact cause is still debated, so we do not claim one.
The turn
When we are close to people, we can crowd them.
The trees stand side by side for years, and still leave each other a line of sky.
Three takeaways
- Closeness needs space.
- Give others room to grow.
- A little distance can protect a relationship.
Grow together. Leave a line of sky.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness, / And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.