t h e c h e s t n u t t r e e
23 february 2026 amed, bali
when i was younger and still lived at my parents' house, there was a large chestnut tree in our garden. an old, beautiful tree whose crown grew bigger and bigger over the years until its shadow covered almost the entire lawn.
as a child, i felt deeply connected to this tree.
even today, it often appears in my meditations or in moments when i reconnect with my inner child. perhaps that is why i keep feeling the need to write about it. somehow, this old chestnut tree became one of my greatest inspirations and constantly reminds me of how deeply nature can shape us, and what a remarkable teacher it can be.
i climbed this tree almost every day or simply watched it from my bedroom window. there was one branch, the lowest one, where i always began. i wrapped both arms around it, pulled myself up like a little monkey, wrapped my legs around the branch, and sat there. from there, i could reach the higher branches and as soon as i was sitting high above the garden, everything looked different.
my perspective changed within seconds. up there, i always felt a little freer. a little more alive. and, above all, more connected to myself. perhaps that is why this tree still appears so often in my thoughts. to me, it was one of the safest places in the world. sometimes, i still miss it.
and yet, i still feel connected to it. every time i look at a tree or run my hand across its bark, i feel a little closer to nature again. to its sounds, its stillness, and whatever it wants to remind me of in that moment. as if a small part of my childhood still lives there.
nature constantly reminds me that life is always changing while remaining deeply rooted. that we are allowed to grow, let go, choose new paths, fall apart, and bloom again without ever losing our connection to the ground beneath our feet. perhaps that is why nature still feels so familiar to me.
because it reminds me of the little girl sitting in that chestnut tree, quietly observing the world from above and feeling deeply connected to everything around her. nature teaches so much without ever speaking. the trees remind me that growth happens slowly and in its own time. the wind reminds me that life is always in motion. the ocean reminds me that stillness and wildness can exist at the same time. and the moon reminds me that life moves in cycles, and that we are always allowed to begin again.
perhaps that is why nature feels like the purest form of connection to myself.
because every time i slow down enough to truly notice it, i feel alive, calm, and deeply connected to life itself.
