The world is so still and quiet at eight in the morning on a weekend day. I like that. Popular shop and eat places that get crowded as the day progresses are empty and fresh with morning dew (or the water from the sprinklers?). Normally, I try to avoid shopping malls and all kinds of restaurant conglomerations, but this morning I had some work to do in one of such energy-draining clusters, hence the location for my walk.
It’s not bad, really. I like the weird green area with poplar trees — their smell reminds me of my childhood.
I would wake up every morning to the soft rustle of these magnificent conic poplars which grew the height of a five-story apartment building we lived in. They stood like soldiers guarding the large yard surrounded by four such buildings. Our balcony on the fifth floor was slightly lower than their tops.
Poplar trees in general are very special. They can help OR hurt depending on the situation. They absorb rather than give, so if you are sick or troubled, you can hug poplar trees or hang around them for a while so that they can take away some of the sickness or some heavy, unhealthy energy. Don’t do it for too long though… they might absorb some of the good stuff when they are done with the bad. Or just follow your gut and trust your own relationship with nature; everything is very personal and specific.
One curious thing (and no metaphysics involved)… Apparently, some types of poplars are medicinal and edible as well. I love their smell, but never had a chance to consume them as food or find any medicinal application simply because I had no idea that their sap, buds, or inner bark was edible. A whole new area of research right there.
Personally, I have always felt weird around these trees. I love them, but then I don’t. Their smell is so distinctive and interesting, and I enjoy it, but then I don’t want to feel it anymore. Their leaves have this pretty gloss and shine, but then they are unpleasantly sticky.
One magical thing about poplars that I have always loved is that season when they flower and these white, cotton-like flakes fill the air and fly in the wind, cover the ground, drift like tiny clouds… It looks like fairytale winter in summertime. Magical. People with allergies might hate it though, and I can only imagine the level of suffering of the individuals sensitive to pollen and other such things.