Sunday, December 21, 2008

Growth and Resilience

From Gemma...

The baobob tree is my absolute favorite tree in the world. I met my first one on a safari heading towards the Ngoro Ngoro National Park. In Africa, it is the “Tree of Life” as it holds water in its trunk, hundreds of litres of water that is tapped during the dry season. It is capable of providing shelter, food and water for animal and human inhabitants and the cork-like bark is fire resistant and is used for cloth and rope.

My favorite aspect of the baobob is its strong and quirky stance, and it is said that the baobob above ground is a reflection of it’s roots below. It provides hope and nourishment at a time when the region is dry and parched. I hope as we navigate the current financial crisis and the huge transition that is happening because of it, we can look to the baobob tree as a pillar of resilience and a living example of providing itself and others h2ope during times of crisis and scarcity....