Erosive Power of Chola Wengue

We found a tree growing by the River, simultaneously growing and decaying.  Like many trees a hollow was developing inside creating a rich habitat for bugs and a rich buffet for birds.  By crouching down we realized that the roots and the process of decay had created an opening through which our daughter could look.  

She "bounced" around the tree, checking it out from different angles, having fun, however a deeper teaching was taking place.

Interesting to note that from certain angles the opening is not visible.  Upon examining the tree closely we realized that it is the root forming the opening, most likely due to not only the decay but also to the soil erosion.  Every time the river floods this tree has more soil pulled from it.

This tree shows the effects of the "play" between the River and the Tree.  It also shows the power of erosion that the river has.  This power of erosion through water (rain, flood and river) is a major issue that occurs worldwide and is a major threat to our sustainability upon this planet.  In this particular location the system is balanced, in that the hill is covered with trees, who are constantly through their annual leaf fall and through their eventual decay, building new soil so that the soil taken by rain to the River and by the river herself is replenished by the trees.  In those places that the trees are removed from hills and the soil plowed up or left bare, nothing is renewing the soil and the top soil (the rich soil created by decaying organic matter) is lost every time it rains.  This continues to devastate our ecosystems, as the feet of topsoil once stabilized on this continent are now reduced to inches or fractions of inches.  This tree is a beautiful example of the erosive power of the River, who is able to erode rocks themselves and carve canyons deep into the Earth's surface, but is also a lesson in the importance of trees upon the hillsides rather than plows.  It also gives us insight into the Misterio, Chola Wengue, her power to renew life, and her power to take away the gifts that she has given when they are unappreciated and are not caretaken with love and intelligence and respect.