Tree Watching: Like Bird Watching, But Slower

Tree Watching: Like Bird Watching, But Slower

I wasn’t out there chasing some big idea. Just a walk, some evening light, and a bench that looked like it had seen a few stories. I sat down, leaned back, and stared into the trees.

That was it.

No birds. No drama. Just a wall of green doing its thing — some of it alive and thriving, some of it not so much. Felt like nature had hit the pause button, and I was lucky enough to notice.

Tree watching doesn’t come with instructions. You just sit and look. Maybe your mind wanders, maybe it doesn’t. Maybe you notice the way the light sneaks through the gaps or how the branches barely move until they really do.

The bench had some scribbles on it — not mine — little messages left behind by other people who probably sat there long enough to think they had something to say. I didn’t feel the need to leave a mark. Just being there felt like enough.

There’s no score to keep with this kind of thing. No goal. Just a good sit and some tall trees.

Anyway, I’m Johnny from JohnnyOnFilm. Sometimes I hike. Sometimes I throw sticks. Sometimes I sit on a bench and stare at trees like they’re going to do something. And sometimes, that’s the whole point.