Mariposa Grove
Talitha
parked near an empty truck loaded with construction materials after arriving at
the Mariposa Grove.
“What are they building here?” asked
Lucy.
“They installing paths to protect the
roots of the giant trees.”
Lucas jumped right out of the truck to
get a better look at the biggest trees he had ever seen.
“Holy moly, these trees are a thousand
feet tall!” he said.
John felt just as impressed, even though
he had been there a hundred times before.
“These are the Giant Sequoia trees of
the Mariposa Grove,” he explained.
“Does Mariposa mean tall?” Lucas asked.
John laughed.
“No Lucas, it means Butterfly,” he
explained.
“I knew that!” he replied, leaning all
the way back trying to see the very tops of the trees.
“How did they grow so tall?” asked
Lucas.
“These trees are immune to everything on
earth except lightning, fire, and people,” replied John.
“How do they keep from being hit by
lightning?” asked Lucas.
“They don’t,” John replied. “Many have
been hit and burned or fallen. The ones we see today are the ones who have
survived.”
“That is sad,” Lucas said looking at a
giant tree that had fallen to the ground.
The roots were showing as if someone pulled it like a weed and laid it
down.
Tali stood next to John. “Fun fact for
you Lucas!” she warned.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“Scientists have found that fallen
Sequoia trees have lasted hundreds of years in perfect condition without
decomposing,” she explained.
“What does that mean?” asked Lucas.
“It means the trees are found fresh
inside after hundreds of years. No termites or mold,” she explained.
“Do you think it’s still alive after it
falls?” Lucas asked.
“What do you think Lucas?” she asked.
Lucas walked over and took hold of one
of the roots on the fallen tree.
“This one does not feel alive anymore,”
he said sadly.
Unexpectedly a huge flock of butterflies
flew by causing Lucas to take off running after them, almost forgetting about
the fallen tree.
“Mariposa, mariposa, where are you
going?” he chanted.
Tali walked over to where Lucas had
touched the tree and noticed something strange began happening with the root he
was holding.
Lucy interrupted as Lucas ran after the
butterflies.
“There so many butterflies here!” she
said happily.
Tali ignored the root of the tree,
thinking it was just her imagination.
“Butterflies come here by the thousands
during May and in June but most of them are gone now,” Tali explained.
“Why don’t we camp out here?” Lucy asked.
“It’s lovely.”
“No one camps here,” Tali explained.
“Not even you? You are Director of all
the National Parks,” Lucy said.
“Not even I can break this rule,”
replied Tali. “I wouldn’t want to, this place is too sacred. People camping
here would destroy the root system of these amazing trees within a year.”
“I get it,” replied Lucy.
“So, we only came here to bring Lucas to
see the Grizzly Giant?” Lucy asked.
“Yes," John replied. “Then we will
drive down and set up camp.”
Lucas returned after chasing the
butterflies resting his head against Lucy.
Lucy was bored.
“Why does Lucas need to see another
tree?” she asked. “He can see them when we get to camp?”
“The Old Hara tree sent me to the Giant
Grizzly,” Lucas explained.
“Will he talk to you?” she asked.
“Trees don’t talk,” Lucas explained. “They
communicate. You just need to pay attention to what they are telling you.”
Lucas saw even more butterflies fly by
and took off again running after them.
Lucy’s legs needed some running after sitting so long, so she chased
after Lucas to wake them up.
John stood next to Tali.
“Even as twins, Lucas and Lucy are
totally different people,” he said cheerfully. “Lucy is much taller but more
logical, and Lucas is much smaller but has a more spiritual understanding of
Nature.”
“Stay close, you two!!” Tali called.
Lucas grew tired of the butterfly chase
as soon as a chipmunk passed, so he changed course and went after the
chipmunks.
Lucy was already tired so she turned and
ran back to Tali and John.
She was startled after noticing hundreds
of Steller’s Jays gathering above her in the trees. They had beautiful blue
feathers.
A huge number of them came flying closer
and closer to Lucy, totally freaking her out.
“What are they doing?” she asked.
“Take a deep breath,” Tali insisted.
“Nothing bad will happen.”
The birds continued to gather and even
fly right past Lucy causing her to cover her face from the wind they made with
their wings.
“Awesome!” Lucas called out from a
distance, as soon as he noticed the blue jays flying around Lucy.
Most of the birds landed right next to
Lucy, looking directly at her.
“What do they want?” she asked.
“These are Steller Jays,” Tali explained
in a calm voice. “Some of the smartest birds on the planet.”
Lucy was still covering her face and
began peeking at them through her fingers.
“Why are they here?” she asked.
Tali smiled and squeezed Lucy tight.
“I have a feeling they are here to see
you,” she replied.
Lucy felt her heart beating faster.
“That’s creepy! I thought we came here
for Lucas?” she replied.
Tali giggled.
“It seems that Nature has chosen you
too,” Tali explained. “Why don’t you try and find out what they need.”
Lucas did not understand at all so he
picked up a large branch from the ground and started running after the birds
with it.
“Shoo, Shoo, shoo,” he yelled chasing
after them.
Only a few of the birds moved out of the
way, but only a second before quickly returning.
Lucas was confused.
“My branch is broken,” he said, throwing
it to the ground. “Should I pee on 'em?” he asked with a goofy smile.
“Don’t even think about it!” John
warned, quickly picking Lucas up into his arms.
“Weee,” Lucas yelled as John swung him
around.
“It’s a good thing I am small for a
ten-year-old,” explained Lucas. “Most kids my age are too big for this.”
Tali placed her hand on Lucy’s shoulder
as she thought of what to do next. The birds were just chirping and waiting.
“Just relax and let them know that you
care,” she told Lucy.
Lucy looked at the birds and took a deep
breath.
“Will they understand me if I talk to
them?” she asked.
“It’s like Lucas told you about talking
to trees. You communicate through feelings,” Tali replied.
Lucy took several deeper breaths.
“Calmly listen to the chirping. In your
mind, you need to let them know that you care,” Tali whispered.
Lucy closed her eyes and listened to the
chirping sounds. Little by little, her heart found a connection pulling towards
a little bird that was not far away from her.
She could see the bird in her mind and
feel it was in pain. She could also feel it’s mother nearby, including her
sadness.
As soon as she opened her eyes she
located a little bright blue bird with a twisted wing. The mother was next to it with the most
beautiful dark blue feathers she had ever seen.
The connection to the little bird grew
so strong, she began to feel a pain in her own arm.
“Oh no!” she cried. “What if it’s
broken.”
Lucy immediately went over to the young
bird and sat on the ground right next to it.
“You poor thing!” she said, wanting to
pick it up.
Tali came up behind her to encourage
her.
“Carefully put your hand out and wait
for him to respond,” she instructed.
Lucy slowly put out her hand and waited
while the little bird looked over at its mother asking for permission, then it
quickly jumped into the palm of her hand without delay.
Lucy’s connection became so strong as
she held it in her hands, tears began streaming down her face.
John Henry took Lucas closer to show him
the miracle that was going to happen.
“I feel helpless. What more can I do?”
she cried.
Finally, one of her tear drops began
landing right next to the little bird in her hand.
“I am sorry, I don’t know how to help
you,” she continued to cry, creating a tiny puddle in her hand next to the
injured bird.
The little bird looked down at the tears
and looked over at its mother again.
After a few seconds, the little bird quickly drank some of the tears and
quickly returned next to its mother.
Lucas saw everything.
“That’s nasty!” he mumbled.
John immediately covered Lucas’s mouth.
“No more karate comments out of you,” he
whispered.
Lucy stood up and wiped her hand off.
Lucas was still grossed out.
“She needs a baby wipe dad,” Lucas
whispered.
John tried not to laugh.
“What did I tell you?” he asked.
Everyone watched as the little bird
looked around at all the other birds.
The wing still looked twisted, but
within a few seconds, the bird started flapping, causing the twisted part of
the wing to become straighter and straighter.
All the other birds began flapping their
wings as a sign of support to the little bird.
“Fly!” Lucy called out.
Finally, the little bird lifted from the
ground and flew straight up into the sky.
A few seconds later it returned with
every Blue Jay in Yosemite creating a circle above Lucy.