In the Arms of a Sitka Spruce: Remembering We Are One.

Recently, I spent a delightful afternoon with a friend. We visited a local nursery and picked up some colorful plants. Afterwards, we headed to my cousin’s house for some warm masala chai and homemade treats.

As we sipped tea and got comfortable, the backyard beckoned us. It was alive with abundance—eggplants, green serrano chilies, fragrant herbs, and majestic mango trees. Oh, only Florida can grow mangoes like these—fruits brought from distant lands and nurtured into even sweeter versions of themselves. The king of fruits, mango lovers will agree!

Later, as we were saying our goodbyes, one of the women smiled and said, “We are all one.” Curious, I asked her what she meant.

She then shared a story that touched me deeply.

Years ago, she had visited Jerusalem with her husband. As a spiritual hub for multiple faiths, she was excited to experience the sacredness of its sites—the Wailing Wall and the Stone of Anointing. 

But just as they began exploring, she developed a severe allergy. Being a doctor herself, she recognized the symptoms and sought help from a kind pharmacist who gave her medicine and even offered a small room to rest. Though the medication didn’t help much, she continued her journey, and along the way, she was met with a special kindness from strangers, each belonging to a different faith.

As they reached the Stone of Anointing, something incredible happened. She touched the stone, and the allergy—along with her pain—vanished completely. A miracle. That moment left her with a profound realization that, though she came from a different faith, kindness and healing found her on a path walked by many beliefs. That’s when she had truly felt—we are all one.

Her story stirred something in me, reminding me of another moment when that same universal truth of oneness, healing, and connection with nature revealed itself in my own life

While on a cruise with family and friends in Alaska, we set out on a hike that led us to a breathtaking clearing. There stood a majestic 1,000-year-old Sitka Spruce tree, its presence so commanding it felt as though she beckoned me closer—and I couldn’t resist.

I hopped over bramble and rocks to reach her- this ancient life. I wrapped my arms around her massive trunk and immediately felt something magical. The tree seemed to throb with a living energy that took me into a space of magic. I closed my eyes and imagined the lifetimes and stories she had witnessed. In that moment, I felt deeply connected—to the tree, to nature, and to something greater than myself.

We are one — not just as human beings, but as part of this living, breathing Earth. One with each other. One with the trees. One with the stories and energies that surround us.

And if we open our hearts just a little more, we begin to feel it everywhere.

As I reflect on that warm afternoon with the laughter, stories, and deep moments of connection, I’m reminded of something profound from the Isha Upanishad: "Īśāvāsyam idam sarvaṁ, yat kiñca jagatyāṁ jagat."
"The Lord is present in all that moves in the universe."

We are not separate. Not from each other. Not from nature. Not from the Divine.
In kindness shared, in trees that whisper ancient truths, in sacred stones that heal, there is oneness.
And when we slow down enough to feel it, we remember:
We are one.