Pine trees and understanding

When I was a lad I thought there were two kinds of trees - leafy trees and pine trees. All the conifers were in one category in my uninformed mind. They had needles instead of leaves and sticky sap on their branches and stayed green all year. They were all "pine trees."

In Scouts I learned to distinguish between the three main groups: pines (round needles, usually longer, often split lengthwise in semicircles or bundled in groups), spruces (short, sharp, square needles), and firs (flat needles); and also that there were other kinds of "evergreens" such as yews, hemlocks, and cyprus; and some that didn't even have needles including cedars and junipers.

Later I learned that the varieties and distinctions were far greater than I was aware at the time. It wasn't just pines, it was Ponderosa pines, Lodgepole pines, Bristlecone pines, and many others. Not only were there spruces, but there were Colorado blue spruces, Englemann spruces, Norway spruces, and more. Not only were there firs, but Noble firs, Balsam firs, and Douglas firs (which are actually not firs but pines).

When we moved to our current home and started visiting the nearby park, I soon noticed that there are at least half a dozen different varieties of "pine" tree growing there, including true pines, spruces, firs, and cedars. But there was one tall, strong, beautifully-shaped, majestic tree that puzzled me at first. It was unique. The branches are close-spaced and very horizontal, with no sticky sap and no sharp needles, making it an ideal climbing tree for children.

I eventually realized it was a Giant Sequoia! It won't ever grow to the extreme dimensions that its Pacific Coast cousins reach, but for Utah, it's really quite out of the ordinary. It's a gorgeous, spectacular tree. I wish I knew how old it is and who planted it. It's such a wonderful gift! It makes me smile every time I walk by or drive near.

I #GiveThanks for the beautiful lessons of learning available to all of us in life. I would never appreciate this tree the way I do based on my understanding as a young boy, even as a teenage scout. But over the years since I've learned about these giants of the forest, and I appreciate how special they are. And for that matter, I appreciate the other half-dozen Evergreens in the park, and the many deciduous species as well. What a blessing there is in diversity and variety!