Rooted While Everything Is Changing (meet Fred)

I have always been fascinated by trees.

But until recently, I had never created a daily ritual around one particular tree—at least not as an adult.

Then I met Fred.

Fred is a Southern pine, one of the largest trees on our property. He has likely been standing here for more than a hundred years.

He has watched children grow up and move away. He has seen trees that once stood beside him disappear. He has endured storms, droughts, fires, and hurricanes.

And still, he stands.

He continues to offer shade from the brutal Southern sun. His branches provide a safe place for songbirds and small creatures to rest, build nests, and raise their young.

And now, he has become something else, too.

My grounding partner.

You might think Fred had no choice in the matter. But with hundreds of trees around us, he was the one who seemed to call to me.

I named him almost immediately.

Now, whenever I walk the dogs, I make a point of stopping to “say hi to Fred.”

Over the years, I have studied therapeutic benefits of spending time among trees. Research suggests that time in nature can help calm the nervous system, ease feelings of anxiety, and support our overall sense of well-being.

Trees also release natural compounds called phytoncides as part of their own protective systems. When we spend time in forests and breathe the air around them, those compounds support our bodies as well.

Practices such as forest bathing and the often-joked about tree hugging have long been used as antidotes to stress.

But I began to wonder:

What might happen if connecting with one tree became a daily ritual?

The past several months have brought a significant amount of change into my life. Moving our lives across the country has been exciting, but it has also stretched me thin.

Even positive transitions can stress us.

A new home, a new career, a new level of responsibility, or a new season of life can leave us feeling unsteady. We may know we are moving in the right direction and still feel anxious about what comes next.

So I decided to try something simple.

Every day, I would give a little of my stress to Fred.

When I stop to greet him, I place one hand flat against his trunk for about 10 to 30 seconds. That is all.

No complicated meditation. No elaborate routine.

I simply place my hand on his bark, look up into the magnificent canopy of branches towering more than a hundred feet above me, and thank him for being there.

Then I continue walking the dogs.

Easy peasy.

I have now been doing this for a month.

The results?

Five stars. Why?

1.The ritual feels playful, which reconnects me to the childlike part of myself.

2. It brings me fully into the present moment. For those few seconds, I am not reviewing my never-ending to-do list or trying to solve tomorrow’s problems.

3. I feel connected—to nature, to God, and to all the living beings who have encountered Fred during the many decades he has stood in this place.

4. And I breathe in gratitude.

What surprises me most is that none of these benefits were part of a carefully constructed plan.

My only goal was to place my hand on Fred every day.

That small action became an anchor.

Now, I cannot imagine going through my day without that little moment of connection.

Perhaps that is what we need during times of transition—not another complicated strategy or another demand to place upon ourselves.

Perhaps we need one simple ritual that reminds us to pause.

To breathe.

To remember that we are supported.

To trust that even when life feels uncertain, we can remain rooted while we grow into what comes next.

You do not need acres of woods or a hundred-year-old pine tree to try this.