Back in 2007 I was one of the many who felt the rush of possibilities that attended the appearance of Barack Obama on the national stage, with the message of “hope and change.”  Such an appealing prospect!  The optimism attributed to our national character (at least in those days) wholly aligned with the idea of hope, and certainly there was a desire for change after the mis-steps of GDubs; linguistic and otherwise.

What happened?  I think we failed to specify what those two words meant in the realm of everyday living.  I think we were complacent in having a figurehead that spoke to those notions and let that be enough and were content to let him take the reigns and both define and make those things so.

So here we are in 2017, and though many would love to see a change, there is a decided dearth of hope.  Maybe for similar reasons: what exactly is it the change that will restore hope?

I nominate trees.  Change the mindset that takes these guardians and creators of life as we know it for granted.  Restore hope for a better future by focusing on the health and increase of trees.  Wildly idealistic?  Perhaps.  But also wholly necessary, and supremely practical if survival is a functioning priority.