Too often, we separate ourselves from the world around us, and fail to see those connections. For me, observation of things is my key to anchoring myself in the world. Since childhood, I've been walking and observing my surroundings. I'm sort of an amateur naturalist that way. Seeking to understand what I observe has always been my fascination.
Part of that has always been to try to understand the relationships between myself and my surroundings. I mentioned the Chumash people who once inhabited the area in California where I used to live. I saw clear evidence of their time there frequently, which led me to learn more about them and what was known about how they lived.
One day, when walking off trail, I came upon a very old, almost dead oak tree. As I looked at it more closely, I noticed that a carving of a cross had been made on its trunk. That carving had to have been made a very long time ago, since it was faint and was surrounded by scar growth from the tree.
I thought about it for some time. What I finally realized was that it must have been carved by the Spanish explorers who had passed through that are as they followed the Pacific coastline northward. I consulted some old writings they had made from that time, and found a passage that described a mass held in that valley under an oak tree. That had to be it. I had observed the intersection between the original people of that area and the Spanish explorers who changed their world forever, and not in a good way.
Since the tree was not on any trail, nor was it in a place where people often ventured, it had remained there since that time. I contacted a local archaeologist connected with the university I had attended in the area, and described what I had found. I showed him the passage in the Spanish diary. Then, I accompanied him on a visit to that oak tree. He agreed that I had almost certainly found the spot described in those old writings and thanked me for contacting him. He asked that I not say anything about the tree or its location to avoid too many people visiting the location.
Later, casts were made of the carved cross and I understand that something was published about it. I never revisited that location, though, and do not know if the tree is still there.
Observation of our world leads in many directions. It has always been my great pleasure to walk where I live and observe. Sometimes, I have found very interesting things, indeed.
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