A Tree You Pass By
Tree Tag #183 on Baylor's Sustainability Map
By Matthew Cabañas for Dr. Joshua King's ENG 2301: British Literature class, Fall 2025
This reflection is part of a series of “Tree Stories” by Baylor students that take root in their observations about a tree on campus, branch into connections between their tree and their experiences and education, and leaf out into a creative response to the tree.
Welcome
I am going to be talking about a tree that I walk by every day. I never really paid attention to this tree until I took this class. What I experienced is something incredible and I glad I get to share it with you.
Roots
This tree has branches extending in all directions, covering as much of the ground as possible with shade. Its leaves are full and colorful all year. It's called a live oak because during the winter, when other trees die or shed leaves, the live oak stays alive and full of leaves. No matter where the sun is above, it can always provide a spot of shade for those who sit by it. Some of the strong branches hold spotlights to illuminate the branches at night. The soil around the tree is used for signs to let students know what may be happening later in the month, and for small lights to illuminate those signs. This tree is right outside of Teal Residence Hall and East Village Dining Hall. This tree is on a podium made by man. The soil and base of the tree are elevated to prevent people from walking on the soil. This elevated base allows for the tree to grow uninterrupted by human interaction. I was drawn to this tree because I live in Teal Residence Hall. Every day when I walk to class, I always pass this tree, and every day I pass under its branches. The tree is a Live Oak. Its scientific name is Quercus Virginiana. It produces acorns every year. It grows a flower called a catkin. The catkins grow up to 3 inches long and help with the pollination of the acorns. The tree's bark is rough and a dark brown color, while the wood is a light-brown. The wood is very heavy, hard, strong, and tough. The wood of the live oak was used by shipbuilders in the 18th Century to build the ribs and planking of sail ships. When thinking about the tree, I think about the tree that a scribe was studying under in the Early Irish Lyrics called “The Scribe in the Woods”. The tree on campus has a ring of concrete around it where you can sit and study. The lyrics explain how the scribe was grateful to God for a whole “forest of woodland” overshadowing him, as well as the birds “chanting” in the leaves (137). Both trees offer shade and comfort to those who choose to sit under them.
Branches
Peace is a wonderful thing that I have learned to appreciate because of this tree. A couple of days ago, I was heading to one of my classes when I remembered to check the syllabus of that class because I had remembered something about not having class that day. I am glad I checked the syllabus because I learned that my teacher was out of town and class was cancelled. I looked up from my phone, ready to go back to my room, when I saw the tree that I picked out for this project. I was right by my dorm and could have easily gone inside and back to sleep, but I did not do that. For some reason, the tree was calling me to sit and relax for a bit. I never thought a tree would call me to sit, let alone listen to that tree. I sat on the concrete barrier that surrounded the tree and just relaxed. I had no class to attend, no work to do, I could just sit without worry. The peace and comfort that washed over me was immense. No amount of sleep or rest in my room could have made me feel that way. The tree felt like an umbrella, not only for the sunshine, but also for the emotions and stress I had. Toru Dutt, in her poem “Our Casuarina Tree”, talked about a tree that she and her siblings used to play under. Dutt says:
Dear is the Casuarina to my soul:
Beneath it we have played; though years may roll,
O sweet companions, loved with love intense,
For your sakes, shall the tree be ever dear!
Blent with your images, it shall arise
In memory, till the hot tears blind mine eyes!
(Dutt 24-29).
The happiness and pleasure Dutt experienced was memorable. I relate to this passage because of the memory that I made under my tree. Words cannot express the amount of peace I felt when I just listened to the tree and sat down near it. For the rest of my life, I will always remember that feeling and the tree that gave it to me. I hope to find something that can give me that peace again, but if I cannot find it, I will always remember which tree can give it to me again.
Leaves
I had ignored this tree for the longest time. For almost 2 years I have never thought twice about the tree. I would walk by without a second glance. But because the tree called out to me, I now think so many amazing things when I walk by it every day. Since the last time I sat with my tree, about a month ago, I have spent some more time with the tree. Every time I was with it, I was the only one sitting with it. I assumed others who were walking by had places to be or things to do, but that wasn’t true. Many people would walk by and sit on the benches and the concrete platforms that were around the East Village Dining Hall. They would sit there for 10-20 minutes. The worst part is they were in the sun. They could have sat near the tree where they would have had shade but they didn’t. I was sort of confused why they wouldn’t sit near the tree. It made me think, why am I sitting by the tree? It was because I had made a memory with the tree. Just as Toru Dutt said in her poem, “For your sakes, shall the tree be ever dear. / Blent with your images, it shall arise / In memory, till the hot tears blind mine eyes!” (Dutt 27-29). The memories she made with the Casuarina Tree, created a sense of understanding and appreciation for that tree and all other trees. I wanted to end this by encouraging you to do something. I created a time lapse video of 30 minutes recording the tree. I decided to make a time-lapse video because it allowed me to show something I couldn't describe with words: how people walk by the tree, completely oblivious. For those entire 30 minutes, not one person sat down by the tree. Everyone walked past the tree just as I used to do. Trees are all around you. You do not have to find a specific tree, like I did, to find peace. I encourage you to find some time to sit under a tree and relax for a bit. Unplug yourself from the stresses of the world and find peace with the tree. I hope you can create a memory or connection to that tree just as I did with mine.
Introduction
I wanted to end this by encouraging you to do something. I created a time lapse video of 30 minutes recording the tree. I decided to make a time-lapse video because it allowed me to show something I couldn't describe with words: how people walk by the tree, completely oblivious. For those entire 30 minutes, not one person sat down by the tree. Everyone walked past the tree just as I used to do. Trees are all around you. You do not have to find a specific tree, like I did, to find peace. I encourage you to find some time to sit under a tree and relax for a bit. Unplug yourself from the stresses of the world and find peace with the tree. I hope you can create a memory or connection to that tree just as I did with mine.
Creative Response
Works Cited
Dutt, Toru. “Our Casuarina Tree.”
Southern Pride Tree Farm. Live Oak Tree Facts. (n.d.). https://sptreefarm.com/interesting-facts-about-live-oak-trees.html
Sustainability | Baylor University. Accessed December 8, 2025. https://sustainability.web.baylor.edu/.
Texas A&M Forest Service - Trees of Texas - list of trees. (n.d.). http://texastreeid.tamu.edu/content/TreeDetails/?id=109