Wisdom of Trees Series: Resilient as the Olive Tree

Have you ever wondered why it is that trees live such incredibly long and resilient lives? Why they don’t wither and perish when it is dry or cold? How they survive even through the harshest conditions? Gracious and strong, you can almost sense their aura of wisdom as you approach them from afar.

Trees have always fascinated humans. After all, they can surpass humans exceedingly in their potential lifespan. Namely olive trees are among the longest-living creatures on Earth, reaching up to several thousand years of age. And the oldest tree in the world, a spruce in Sweden, is an astounding 9550 years old!

In recent years, science has uncovered some of the secrets of the long life of trees. Meanwhile, I’m only at the beginning of my journey where I’m learning about these remarkable, enduring creatures.

It would be my utmost joy to have you join me on this exciting journey towards the wisdom of trees!

To read part one of this series, click here:

Like a Tree Planted by Streams of Water

In Istria

As you might already know, I grew up in Zagreb, Croatia. Some time ago, while I was already studying in Germany, my parents moved to a small town in Istria. Istria is a peninsula located at the Adriatic Sea in Croatia. With its mild Mediterranean climate, this region is famous for its excellent wine and olive oil. Though not present on the whole peninsula, the vivid red soil is a distinguishing mark of the entire Adriatic coast. Terra rossa, as it is often referred to, makes the perfect conditions for cultivating vineyards and olive groves, scattered across the landscape of Istria.

Pruning olive trees in spring. Photo by Naomi Bosch

It was at a longer stay in Istria that I helped out on an olive farm of my parent’s friend, Josip. Dalmatian by origin, I found Josip drinking a shot of brandy (or rakija as it is called in Croatian) with his neighbours. Amused, I joined them at the table, curiously listening to their conversation. His neighbours being a Swiss-Italian couple, the conversation was a blend of German, Croatian and Italian, the landlord effortlessly switching from one language to the other.

“I’ve worked on all continents of this world throughout my life, but this – this is California! What else do I need?”, Josip told me, as we walked over to his little kingdom just across the street. An olive grove with several hundred trees, happy dogs jumping around us, chicken, goats, donkeys, and a little kitchen garden. That was his wealth.

Some of the trees were towering above us, positioned on a throne of soil and carefully arranged stone walls. And I couldn’t but agree with Josip. This was little California, agriculturally rich and enjoyably warm & sunny.

“What do you think, how old is this tree?”, Josip asked me, pointing to a wrinkled looking olive.

I had no idea, though I already knew that olive trees can reach an astounding age.

“350 years”, the answer came. But the accompanying explanations were even more captivating.

“I got it from a friend several years ago. We cut off all its branches and dug it out of the soil. Then, we transplanted it to my farm. As you can see, the branches look much younger than the trunk of the tree.”

A 350-year old olive tree. Photo by Naomi Bosch

Reverence

Amazed, I stared at the tree who, at an age of several centuries, had lived through something what might seem like a torture: having all branches cut off and being displaced and put into new soil. But the olive didn’t seem to mind much. It still bore fruit, only the many wrinkles revealing some of its old age and wisdom.

As Josip and I went on to prune the olive trees, I couldn’t get that olive tree out of my head. What makes the olive tree so resilient to disrupting and hostile conditions? What makes it live so long?

Young shoots emerging from the trunk and the root zone of this tree.
Photo by Naomi Bosch

The olive’s secret

Olives are known as some of the longest living trees on Earth. The oldest olive trees still alive today, a grove on Sardinia, are almost four thousand years old. The legend goes that olive trees, in fact, never die!

Olives live in places where nothing else grows: rocky, poor soils not fit for other agricultural use.

And that’s exactly the secret to their long lives. The olive’s roots, embedded in rocky ground, are well protected from any danger.

“The trunk and branches do not actually live forever. They hollow out and die off many, many times over the course of the life of the tree. However, the root and the parts of the olive tree that are underground do not die of natural causes. They sprout and send forth new trees again and again… The moulds and fungi that attack most trees cannot find their way to the essential part of the tree in its bed of rock.” (1)

In their sheltered core, olive trees withstand pests and ages, wounds and wars, assaults and storms, human catastrophes and natural disasters…

You could literally cut down the entire tree, dig out its root and replant it, and the olive would still live on. As long as the roots aren’t hurt, the olive will flourish!

Isn’t that fascinating?!

Olive groves radiate with peacefulness and wisdom. Photo by Naomi Bosch

Come and lean on this tree on rocky ground.

Come and learn from it with me.

Come and soak in its wisdom.

A blessing

The olive has found a refuge from which it can withstand troubles of all kinds. It’s made the seemingly hostile, rocky conditions into its greatest advantage. The bed of rock gives it shelter and security.

But that doesn’t mean that the tree won’t bravely face the world! Quite the opposite, the olive comes forth with new branches, new sprouts even after experiencing hardship. Cut off its branches and trunk, and it will come back to life again. Do not be fooled, for the olive tree found an ever-living essence of life.

Even more, it generously and faithfully offers its fruit to the people. Even at centuries of age, it bears these tiny green fruits from which finest oil is produced. Olive oil is known as one of the healthiest oils there is. Extra virgin olive oil is rich in unsaturated fats, antioxidants, vitamins E and K and anti-inflammatory substances, to name but a few of its health benefits.

Becoming like the olive tree

Can we be like these resilient and generous trees? Can we find a secure place from which to rise to the challenges of our lives? From which to withstand storms and ages? And from which to give gladly and generously to all who come across our way?

As I meditated on the wisdom of olive trees, the verses from the Jewish hymnbook, the Psalms, deeply resonated with my heart:

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honour depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. (2)

The poet has found a place of rest and strength in God, just like the olive tree has. He doesn’t need other people to praise him, he doesn’t need to be successful and prestigious to be happy. He doesn’t even need others to treat him kindly so that he could return their favour. He can be a blessing to everyone around because he has built his life on a mighty rock.

Yes, difficulties do occur, others hurt us and hardship has a place in our lives on Earth.

But with the divine Strength, we can come back stronger, more resilient and more generous. We can come back from a time of inward meditation with new life and forgiving.

“But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the loving kindness of God forever and ever.” (3)

Just like the olive tree, we can be a blessing to others in our strength that comes from God.

Building on the Rock

Not if we build on our own abilities and fragile compassion.

Not if we build on sandy ground.

But if we build on the mighty rock and refuge who exceeds even our wildest imagination in love and power.

We might never know if olive trees (or should I say roots?) really are immortal or not. But the essence of humans, the soul, certainly longs for eternity.

Mustn’t the life of an olive tree be a beautiful one? Well, our human lives can be so, too! Could we, like olive trees, mimic these words of Jesus?

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (4)