PINE: Seasonal Lessons That Sprout in the Forest

Guest post by Bob Polston

My name is Bob Polston and I am the author of PINE: Seasonal Lessons that Sprout in the Forest. My book is about the life of a pine tree sprout from the first day it pops its head out of the ground and looks around, to the last day it lives planted on the earth. Our little friend is mentored by a wise, tall, pine tree in a lush green meadow the two share.

The pine trees are characters that relate to each other, to the forest around them, to the creatures of the forest, and to human beings. It is my hope to provide a bridge from an impersonal view of nature to one that is more emotional as we grow to understand our pine tree sprout as he lives, learns, and grows with us.

Beyond the connections to nature, I strived to create a more philosophical environment to address tolerance, forgiveness, and tragedy, mixed with the power of love and friendship.

It seems to me that in any forest setting, there is a microcosm of all the strife, wonder, peace, war, and kindness we may wish to observe. Sometimes, it seems that we miss some of the most basic concepts and need to get back to those basics. I want to inspire my readers to examine their fundamentals, gain perspective from their laughter, their tears, and from characters that are fun and friendly.

While I think we can all agree that we can find plenty of tragedy in any forest, we also find harmony and cooperation in nature’s purpose. Nature has no intolerance or hate. I hope my readers can take a lesson from the forest in my book and remember that we all live on this big blue planet, we all need sunshine and water to survive, and we can all be lifted up by the promise of a rainbow on any random day. A rainbow can be a noble symbol for what we all share on earth.

Through the life of our little pine tree friend in my book, we can experience the wonder of nature and celebrate the differences with which we are all blessed.

I want my book to inspire readers to take the next step to buy their own pine tree sapling, plant it, and watch the wonder of nature firsthand as their friend grows before their eyes.

I remember in third grade the wonder of planting a seed in a cup of soil, and watching it emerge and grow. Getting in touch with that kind of wonder is precious, but I fear that experience is being pushed out of the lives of young people by technology and the rush of our fast food culture.

It is my hope that readers will take the time to enjoy my book and share it with others, perhaps with the gift of a pine tree sapling to extend a little piece of wonder in your gift.