It's easy for most adults to resist the urge to climb a tree. There just doesn't seem to be anything up there that's worth reaching. The potential for looking foolish or being injured tends to outweigh any conceivable reward.
It does make sense for children, who have three months of summer vacation, to climb a tree. Kids must explore every conceivable form of free entertainment with no concern for any potential return on their investment. Adults have too many obligations to risk wasting any time.
The fear of being injured climbing a tree is legitimate, but a bit exaggerated. Falling could indeed result in paralysis or death, but if the right tree is chosen, it shouldn't be too hard to find solid limbs to grab on to. Anyone who takes it slow should be just fine.
It's not really the fear of injury that keeps adults from climbing a tree; it's the fear of having to explain an injury to others. Anyone who shows up at work with a separated shoulder from falling out of a tree will have a difficult time being taken seriously by colleagues in the future.
There are also political fears about climbing trees. What if someone sees you up there? Conservatives will note that climbing a tree often requires literally hugging it. Liberals will be concerned you are damaging the bark and destroying the entire ecology of the American landscape.
Most of the time, climbing a tree doesn't even enter an adult's mind. But every now and then, on a walk in the woods, a tree is spotted that seems to have just the right footholds. It looks like an easy climb, but what for?
If you succeed, no one will be impressed. It wouldn't be like you climbed Mount Everest. But, for some reason, if the president were spotted halfway up a silver maple, the media would be there in no time. The event would be analyzed on talk shows for weeks to come.
There just seems to be no good reason to climb a tree. But once you get past the apprehensions and reach the top, you won't regret it. It could be the highlight of your week, even though you'll never understand why.
Paul Lundgren is a newspaper columnist and a very nice man. Watch a short video of him climbing a tree by clicking here. His e-mail address is paul [at] geekprom.com.
