By Marcia Chapman

During Lent this year we will present weekly practices, based on the Wednesday Lenten meditations and the devotional, A Grounded Faith. The practice for the first week of Lent relates to the theme of the first week; learning to know all our relatives.

Practice: This week we are focused on connectedness. Dr. Randy Woodley says in his book, Becoming Rooted, “By giving credence to the idea that all people are related to each other, we open ourselves to the possibility of once again becoming family with all humanity. By realizing the connectedness of humankind with all animal life and life in every form, we become aware of new possibilities for learning and becoming active in species preservation. By studying humanity’s dependence on creation, we learn how to sustain our planet, and we learn fresh prospects for developing food, water, and renewable energy. “

What if we are all related? What if the Lakota prayer–for all that is above me, and all that is below me, and everything that is around me–is a prayer said on behalf of our relatives?

This week, choose a tree that you see regularly and enter into relationship with this tree. Give the tree a name. Enter into conversation with the tree (either aloud or in your mind):

Introduce yourself
Apologize to the tree for any human-created challenges the tree faces such as asphalt around the tree’s roots, pollution, or even the heat dome from last summer
Thank the tree for cleansing the air, for providing habitat, and for providing beauty
Speak to the tree every time you pass it

My tree is named Squirrel Tree. She spreads her limbs to welcome squirrels and other small animals in my yard. I am grateful for her welcoming presence as I watch the squirrels play out my study window.