Pure magic ... religions have been built on less than this ... .

For my 92nd birthday celebration last week, I got to go "full extension" up into this giant eucalyptus.

Just  before lunchtime the operator arrived with his cherry-picker adorned with a streamer with happy birthday wishes, balloons, to "take me up!"

(click to enlarge)

but wait!

There's an allegory here that is magical!

If you'll look at my extended hand -- then drop your eyes to the large curled piece of bark that is dropping to the ground -- let your imagination transform that bark into the front leg of a canine-like tree-spirit (you can make out the two ears, eyes, etc.,) and once on that path, you can see that these two elders (the centuries-old tree spirit and me) are having an intimate conversation.  It's clear that this is a benevolent spirit since I'm obviously not threatened, but am leaning in (take note Cheryl Sandberg).

It took a while to get permission to use this photo, but today it came.

I hope you can see my animistic deity; but maybe it only needs to be seen by me.

At idle moments, I'm having a great time imagining a script ... giving identity to the tree spirit ... masked demon?  Death?  Ancestors in disguise?

... it matters not, since at a subconscious level, fear is obviously not a part of the equation.

Moral:  It's probably not advisable to outlive one's therapist!