I was out of sorts Sunday morning. I am always out of sorts the first Sunday in November, the second Sunday in March too. These are the days that humans pretend to control Nature by changing the time. I like Nature’s plan, you know, the one where sunset and sunrise change by a minute or two a day. This plan is subtle and easy to adjust to. Jumping back and forth between Daylight Savings and Standard Time requires accepting drastic change instantly. It happens at 2 am. Did Hudson & Willett think we wouldn’t notice?

One Sunday in November, my daughter’s dog, Winston, was visiting. He was on a strict feeding schedule and was clearly confused when dinner was delayed. “Sorry, Winnie. You have a wait an hour. About the time you get used to this, you will get fed early, for no apparent reason. It’s the human way,” I whispered, petting his sweet face.

Anyway, I was sipping coffee, being annoyed, when I came across a theory from Bruno Munari’s book drawing a tree. His theory suggests that a perfect growing environment creates a tree whose trunk will grow and divide into two equal and symmetrical branches. Each of the branches will, in turn, develop into two equal and symmetrical branches, as will each of those and so on, until a completely filled out and a perfectly symmetrical tree exists. The key to the perfect tree is the perfect growing environment which includes an ideal amount of sun, rain, and nutrients in the rich soil. The temperature must remain within a suitable range. There can be no lightning strikes, polar vortices, tornadoes, or other weather events. There can be no human meddling either.

I thought about the perfect tree nurtured in the perfect environment when I hiked later that day. I didn’t see a perfect or symmetrical tree. I began to consider the space around a tree to understand what might have encouraged it to grow to the way it does. When it wasn’t readily apparent, it was fun to imagine what the immediate environment might have been previously. Huge trees, now fallen to the ground, might have blocked the sun, forcing some branches to grow at an angle. The way a tree grows is a puzzle, and the environment provides clues.

Once the tree is established, what’s the environmental impact? A tree that grows at a 45-degree angle clinging to an eroding shoreline holds the earth in place with its intricate root system. It will also create a shady spot over the water. What benefit or detriment does the shade create for the water inhabitants? The physical response produced by the environmental challenge must, in turn, impact the environment. I enjoy this thinking in circles, these wandering thoughts.

I considered my semi-annual resentment about the time change and imagined it a natural occurrence for the sake of argument. Man is a product of Nature, after all, and man contrived this idea. I know it’s a stretch but stick with me for a moment. What benefit does this challenge afford us? Obstacles inspire creative solutions. Like a tree that might reach one limb higher to gain precious sunlight, it’s easily within our power to grow and change.

Does this regular disruption cause just enough friction to inspire me to increase my efforts to stay connected with Nature in other ways? Can I reach some limbs higher? Is the result MORE connection? Maybe. May be.