She watched the humans walk by. Their kind had been here before. They were noisy enough, but the big things they moved in were even noisier. For centuries, she and her kind had tended this forest, drawing in the energy of the Universe that sustained life on this planet. They knew that these humans were young in their evolution, and her kind accepted their role of helping them in their growth to understanding the true nature of things.
They knew that this time, although avoidable, was perhaps inevitable. The humans were too blinded by the things that held no real value. Together, she and her kind accepted the fate that awaited them, knowing that they had served their time well.

Then suddenly, one human stopped and touched her tree. He moved his hands along its broad trunk. This had happened before, but this time was different. The human stood and looked – looked at her. She looked back at him, filling the tree with the vastness of her energy. For a fleeting moment, she knew that she connected with the part of him that humans had lost most touch with – his heart.

He faltered, taking a step back and then looking around him as if to check if anyone had witnessed the moment. No, his fellow humans were busy doing what they do.

“Will you stop this?” she asked the human. Even while knowing the futility of her question, she held hope for the race of men.