Cradle Me: A Tribute to Trees

By Beth Merrick and Diane S. Cattrell

Cradle MeA Tribute to Trees is a memoir. It is also a reverent reflection and an expression of gratitude for the protective and spiritual nature of trees. The author visits childhood and adult experiences, including death, divorce, and disease, exploring how life offers us opportunities to grow through those moments. Connected through her affinity with trees, Cattrells words will take you literally into the woods and back to your own remembrances of play, fear, insecurity, accomplishments, loss, and love.

Tree-wisdom messages of comfort and calling to Spirit have guided this authors life. Cattrell shares her memories of the trees that have witnessed and directed her growth along the way. Cradle Me invites you to deepen your own experiences of worship in nature and in community with other believers.

Cattrells writing is insightful and witty, encouraging and spiritual, an uplifting faith journey for all who recognize the sacred in nature.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Jan 3, 2013
• ISBN: 9781452564159

Beth Merrick

Diane Cattrell is a woman who knows the comfort of the company of trees. Her academic background (BA English literature) and Montana State University publishing assignments honed her writing and editing skills. However, Cattrell's main qualifications for writing this book are the tree experiences themselves. Recognizing the sacredness in trees has defined her spiritual growth and has deepened her love of God, both in nature and in worship with others in her Catholic faith community. Diane is currently living in Maryland and working at Longwood Gardens, where she enjoys many hours in the inspiring company of a community of decidedly ecumenical trees.

Book preview

Copyright © 2012 Diane S. Cattrell

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Balboa Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

Balboa Press

A Division of Hay House

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.balboapress.com

1-[phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Edited by Jessica Abra Marks

Illustrated by Beth Merrick

The Summons, text by John L. Bell and Graham Maule Copyright © 1987, Wild Goose Resource Group, Iona Community, Scotland GIA Publications, Inc., exclusive North American agent 7404 S. Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638 www.giamusic.com  800.442.1358 All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Here I Am, Lord by Dan Shutte Text and Music © 1981, OCP Published by OCP, 5536 NE Hassalo, Portland, OR 97213 All rights reserved. Used with permission.

ISBN: 978-1-4525-6414-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4525-6416-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4525-6415-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012922280

Balboa Press rev. date: 12/31/2012

CONTENTS

Preface

Acknowledgements

One Living Prayers

Two Transplantings

Three An Early Aquaintance

Four Words in the Woods

Five Heart Wood

Six Seeds Planted

Seven The Matriarch

Eight Red-bronze Leaves

Nine Iconic Trees

Ten The Perfect Christmas Tree

Eleven Forestial Heaven

Twelve Cradled in Golden Willows

Afterword The Next Chapter

About The Author

Notes

To Eva France and Odessa Eddie, who like my trees, have enriched and guided my life. Your constant friendship, your strength in adversities, and your loving presence has helped me to grow. I am rooted in you my friends and after all these years, the love of our friendship Cradles Me.

Untitled-6.jpg

PREFACE

My desire to write a book started to develop when I was a child, eight or nine years old. There was a large, grey metal desk in the upstairs foyer of our house. It was one of those industrial-type desks; my father used it for business and my older brother for doing his homework. I spent many quiet hours there writing stories for my mother.

My main character was always a girl and she always had a horse. The setting alternated between a camp and a stable. The story line was simple and consistent: my girl and her horse would train very hard and win. I once overheard my mother while she was on the phone reading one of my stories to her sister, Elaine. She was proudly telling my Aunt Elaine, My Diane is going to be a writer.

Just a few years later my mother died and I stopped writing. I had lost my mom, my audience, and my voice. The desire however, never left me.

Cradle Me, A Tribute To Trees, has waited a long time to be written. Writing the connections