Have You Ever Seen A 300+ Year Old ???

I was in the US in Apr - May 06. One of the Sundays, my dear friend Joanne brought me to the National Arboretum in Washington DC. This is sort of like a Singapore botanical garden equivalent. Anyway, we were walking thru the huge expanse and came across this Japanese Pavilion section where they featured bonsai plants.

Walking thru the Bonsai Section was a humbling experience. There were many bonsai on public display and amongst these were several that are many many times older than me! (or you for that matter!) The one that is posing beside me... give a guess how old it is??? Go on...

Give up? You can't tell by just looking at it, but according to the sign, this Japanese White Pine bonsai has been cultivated since 1625!!! See the next picture.

Your math would tell you that this bonsai is now 381 years old!!!
It's so awesome to behold...

The next picture is a closer shot of the trunk...


Well, there is a relationship lesson we can draw from this very respectfully cultivated bonsai. Time is a perfecter of issues. With lots of patience and tender loving care, growth is encouraged... healthy growth! There will be storms, there will be winter cold, there will be the scorching and searing heat beating down on the leaves and the branches. But hey, with all the TLC, the life will continue perpetually!

If you do have opportunity to be in Washington DC, do make a trip to the National Arboretum and check it out for yourself!