A Tree in Pioneer Park

Today, the City of Walla Walla, led by the city’s arborist, Kyle Clemens, planted a Northern Red Oak in Pioneer Park in Bryan’s memory. This is the same kind of tree Bryan put in the planting strip in front of our house when Mary was a very little girl. Bryan loved trees. Bryan had a passion for Walla Walla’s urban canopy. He could talk at length of the benefits to our community and environment, but all a person needs to do is sit on our front porch and feel the shade, coolness, and dappled light the trees offer to get exactly what he meant.

It was a beautiful, solemn event. It was perfect. And it was so sad because he’s not here to see and enjoy it. I can just imagine his reaction to finding out that there’d be a tree in his honor. Humility, surprise, delight, joy.

I keep getting reminded just how much people love and miss Bryan. My grief blinders often limit my view to just Mary and me. I know we do not love him alone and it’s good for me to see that love from others. Bryan was extraordinary. He would often quote the Greek proverb: “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit.” Today, I got to see a little girl put some dirt at the base of Bryan’s tree, or eat the dirt, I’m not quite sure. Either way, I know she will have stories read to her by people who love her very much under that tree.