In Memorium: A Tree for Nana
I mentioned before that we were planning to plant a tree in memory of Nana and in celebration of Earth Day. Well, the four of us had a brief little memorial ceremony, and it was lovely.
* barley, to sanctify the earth
Dear Tree,
We plant you here on this special day—Earth Day—to mark the passing of our beloved Nana. By doing this we honor Nana’s spirit, your tree spirit, and the spirit of Mother Earth. As you grow strong and tall, may your branches be a welcoming home for Nana’s spirit. As we enjoy your beautiful flowers in springtime, and the birds eat your berries in autumn, may we be content in the great circle of life.
Blessed be.
* libations of water, to water the tree and signify our pure intentions
Nana’s favorite color was blue, not pink, and in her later years she wore more gray and silver than anything else. But Nana so enjoyed Easter, and I think she would be pleased with this pink dogwood because it will always bloom in springtime. May it live a long and happy life like she did.
(Many thanks to Starhawk, Diane Baker, and Anne Hill for their inspiration in the ceremony, which was adapted from Circle Round. Thanks to Ian for digging the hole.)
