Arbor Day and My Daughter

For those who love lost causes, Arbor Day is here; the tree planting day you
may remember from junior high days.  When she was in first grade, my
youngest daughter Afreen had planted a tree in our backyard on Arbor Day. 

I suspect one of the few places in Illinois, where Arbor Day is celebrated
with any real gusto is the Morton Arboretum.  It was Mr. Morton who over one
hundred and thirty years ago started it all.  He was a Michigan transplant
to Nebraska, who thought more trees would make Nebraska more attractive.
What a dreamer!

It is a hard day to remember, because it is not on the same date each year.
In Illinois it is on the last Friday of April, and the date varies from year
to year. It may also vary from state to state.  Of course there is no
National Arbor Day and more notably there are no Arbor Day Hallmark cards.

No holiday can be legitimate, without a Hallmark card.  After all there is a
Hallmark card for every possible occasion; like National Boss Day and the
Administrative Professionals Day.  But who needs a smarmy Hallmark card when
you can make your own Arbor Day card with white paper and crayons! 

I don’t see Arbor Day catching on in other countries like India and China
either, although arguably those countries need lot more trees and lot fewer
people.  I do not foresee any Arbor Day riots in the Indian city of Mumbai.
That dubious distinction went to Valentine’s Day.  In just four to five
years, Valentine’s Day is already one of the biggest holidays in those two
countries.  The retailers love it and the traditionalist try to burn down
their shops. But I digress.

Back home in my garden, right at the corner of the deck, there is the tree
that my daughter Afreen had planted.  Both the tree and my daughter have
flourished in wonderful and unpredictable ways. 

This Memorial Day, my daughter is graduating from Brown University.  “I am
going to make an impact” my daughter wrote.  She had just learned she was
awarded a Fulbright scholarship to work on human rights in Jamaica. 

I look at how strong and shady the tree she planted has become, and imagine
it is possible that she could indeed make an impact.  I suppose, I may have
found a reason to celebrate Arbor Day. 

Javeed Akhter.