I saw an interview recently where they discussed how trees grow in two opposite directions at the same time, downward into the soil and upward towards the sky. We see the tree’s splendour aboveground, but there’s more going on beneath the surface. The growth above is often a mirror of what’s happening unseen below. This fascinating fact is particularly apparent at the portage on Little Misty Lake in Algonquin Park. Here, the roots emerge from the earth, their tangled forms exposed.

Starting as a seed, tucked into the dirt, a tree’s roots push down, facing the pressure and resistance of the soil. They establish an anchor, while the trunk and branches grow towards the sun.

Perhaps a lesson is held within a tree’s roots. The work that happens in the dark, when it’s difficult and damp, becomes the foundation for the beauty everyone sees in the light.