What Kind of Tree am I?

I have always been fascinated by trees. I think they have personality - the way they are structured, the way they lean toward the sunlight, the way they react to wind, rain and snow.

Driving through Northern California and New Jersey are particularly interesting for me because of this. I want to pull over and just stand and admire the trees and sit under their shade.

For the first time, I got a chance to see a tree go through its four seasons. Fall in the Garden State was magnificent. The trees were bedecked in their finest colors, like a bevy of women vying for attention at a beauty pageant. The rich tones of reds and golds against the light and shadows were spectacular.

Then came winter, the bare branches covered in snow and ice were now like a bridal gallery with dresses for all sizes and shapes. As the snow melted, and the rains came, the bare trees seemed like a showroom of pallid, naked manequins - reminiscent of a business that was shutting down its doors. Dark brown barks and branches pulled down by the weight of the snow were being cut up for firewood or to be turned into mulch.

As spring softly arrived, nature reminded me of a theatrical production. As if a million wardrobe artists were feverishly sewing on ruffles and buttons, the branches were soon blossoming and blooming. While Fall's colors were more vibrant, Spring's clothesline was more whites and pinks with brighter yellows and greens. Like a well-rehearsed performance, the trees were soon swaying to the music of the chirping birds and the sounds of laughter.

Soon it will be summer - the leaves will take on a deeper hue. More people will be seeking the protection offered by the shade of a tree. Squirrels will be whizzing by, stopping to take an occasional look at something someone has tossed in its direction. There will be picnics and the smell of barbeques blending in with the smell of the acorns, maple and other blossoms. For a brief moment, man and nature will be in unison.

There is a theory that everyone has a seasonal color - that winter people look good in blacks, grays and silver and that spring people look good in pastels. I look good in the jewel tones of Fall and the metallic dark tones of winter. I also think that if I were a tree, I would be a small evergreen. I would survive the seasons, provide a bit of shade and always look toward the sun, even when it doesn't seem to be there.

Have you ever wondered what tree you would be?