Today we had an Arbor Day celebration here at work. I have to admit, I never knew there were so many grown men so passionate about trees. The State arborist actually wrote a poem for the kids and researched out what tree could be planted in all 5 states we cover as a hospital. The kids were given a copy of the poem with some tree seeds on their lunch trays. When I heard that these zealots were coming I couldn’t help but have a vision of some big burly forest ranger dude with graying hair in a ponytail and some teacup poodle dog named Muffin. Why Muffin, you ask? Well really what else are you going to call a small dog owned by a burly guy? (And I just assumed a guy who wrote poetry was sensitive and wouldn’t have his masculinity called into question by owning small pets, wearing the color lavender, and proud that he could make a mean quiche.)
My director was ecstatic about the new plans of this celebration. Someone from the Mayor’s office, the governors wife, city and state arborist and some wanna be Josh Grobin guy showed up with the media. We shuffled kiddos into the playroom and they messed around with glitter as official proclamations were read. Made me wonder, these guys do know it’s a children’s hospital, right? Proclamations mean nothing when you are 6 years old. I began to snicker to myself in the back of the room at this point in time while I wondered which ranger would be bursting into song with the set up cheesy synthesizer by the podium. The gov’s wife looked a bit plastic as she took the stage. Mary-Kay (perfect name) showed up in her pink suit with her pink matching pumps and pink lip-gloss. She read her note cards with the official seal on them and wouldn’t you know the kids kept playing with the glitter. There was one girl who was wheeled into the playroom by her mom. She couldn’t have been more than 11 and she was a double amputee with both legs gone. She sat through the readings looking small in her wheelchair and gown. She never looked up, that is, until the Josh look-a-like began to sing. She first began to look at him in awe (I have to admit, his voice was amazing) and then she began to cry silent tears.
The whole ceremony culminated with a gazing ball being placed on top of a tree in our courtyard. The pine has bright colored ribbons with laminated cards tied to various branches. Each card has a child’s handwritten wish upon it. Things like: “I wish my headaches would stop.” “I wish my Mom could have a happy marriage.” “I wish I had a house with a back yard.” But the most common one on there is, “I wish I could get cured and go home.”
In high school I had a friend who hated signing yearbooks, but would do so in a very passive aggressive manner by wishing you well on obscure holidays. My Sophomore yearbook I was wished a happy Arbor Day (today) and my Junior year I was wisheda happy Flag Day. Incidentally I will always remember it is June 14th. I used to think these various holidays were pointless, strange days established by the government for some odd reason. Arbor Day never really meant anything to me. Today it took a different meaning when I watched the pomp and circumstance actually reach the heart of a child.
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