“We’re all nurse logs for each other” is a phrase I saw on a t-shirt recently in Seattle, Washington. Locals understood what this meant. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest in a family of campers and hikers. Nurse logs were common in these forests: fallen trees that, over time, welcomed seedlings that sprouted in, and absorbed nutrients from the dead, but still life-giving wood. The old fallen log retained its shape for many years. The plants atop it eventually grew long roots around the former tree to reach the dirt beneath. Some of these roots thickened and became permanent, maintaining their rounded shape, reminiscent of the log that had long since disappeared.
The t-shirt implied that people can nurture each other which happens countless times each day. When I drive in traffic, I come home safely because almost all drivers obey the rules, assisting all of us on the road.
When I’m hungry, stores provide all I need, literally feeding my body because thousands of people, from farmers to truck drivers to cashiers have contributed their energies to this ultimate goal.
On a personal level, my friends and family support me emotionally, psychologically and sometimes physically. After a two-mile hike on a rocky beach, suddenly my ankle rolled on some large stones. In slow motion, my knees buckled and I eventually sat on the bumpy stones. Although unhurt, my bent legs somehow refused to untangle. Luckily my large son immediately extended his hand and pulled me upright. I felt grateful and cared for.
If I look, I can find the equivalent of nurse logs everywhere. The words on the t-shirt expanded my awareness of the good we all receive.
Real Life – Real Laughs:
Humor When You Need It Most
Cate Burns’ thirty-eight non-fiction stories of heartfelt humor explore society’s foibles and personal snafus with insightful zingers that will delight readers. Burns casts an unstinting, cock-eyed look at personal change, friendship, sanity and courage.
“Absolutely LOVE the descriptions in this work. Very, very, very clever and, dare I say it? -unique. This is refreshing, funny, inventive and delightful.” -Sharon Whitehill, Ph. D.
