We’ve all heard of emotional support animals. But emotional support trees?
Tristan Shaw finds calm through the sapling he carries on his back.
“We sometimes feel the weight of the world on us and I don’t know what it was specifically that day but I had a moment with one of my trees, and I said ‘I’m just going to take this with me,’” Shaw said.
That was five years ago and ever since, Shaw has had a tree on his back and another in tow.
“I find taking the tree with me, you’ve got that person in your corner,” he said.
He takes his buddy tree everywhere he goes — inner tubing, canoeing and bike riding.
The tree on his back doesn’t just ground Shaw, but provides roots for conversation
“I want to bring awareness to the problem to the lack of tree canopy,” he said. “You can go miles and miles and miles and not see a single one.”
Through a special grant and with the support of the city of Flossmoor’s public works department, Shaw has rallied more than 300 volunteers to help him plant trees.
He even sweet talked the fire department into doing the watering.
He’s not sure if his blood pressure is lower because of the oak leaves pressed against his neck, but says there is peace in trading the weight of the world for an sapling on your back.
“I think it’s pretty awesome,” he said. “I have a tree and it’s going to be okay.”
There is plenty of evidence showing a link between nature and mental well being. While Shaw’s approach is a little more unconventional, you can’t deny it’s working for him and the community.
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