Today, I felt an urge to visit a White Pine in person after taking an herbal medicine class with Robin Rose Bennett at the Fou Gallery yesterday.

I took the train to Central Park and walked my usual route toward the North Woods. It didn’t take long before I spotted three Eastern White Pines just west of Ballfield 2.

I greeted the trees with a friendly hello and spent time studying the needles and bark. I noticed some cones on the ground, lying among a carpet of fallen brown needles. I picked up a twig, made a small scratch in the bark, and inhaled the fresh, piney scent. One of the trees had resin oozing from its bark, so I scooped up a tiny bit with my fingernail. Nothing beats the fresh smell of pine resin!

White Pine, when taken medicinally, can be beneficial to the respiratory system, helping to soothe the lungs. It’s also rich in vitamin C. And let’s not forget that trees help filter air pollutants, cleaning the air we breathe—something I really appreciate while living in Manhattan.

I thanked the trees for their time and headed to the Loch. I found myself at the special spot again where people sit to feed the birds. Just as I sat down, a large red-tailed hawk flew in and landed on the tree directly above me. I sat quietly, watching the great raptor perch high above, scanning the ground below and preening its feathers.

As I watched, I heard the voice of a woman on her cell phone. She ended her conversation and sat down to observe the hawk too. Eventually, more people arrived—a couple, probably just discovering this special place for the first time. They seemed enchanted as more and more birds flitted about and perched in the trees below the hawk. We all sat together in quiet anticipation, watching.

Eventually, the hawk flew away, and everyone went on their way. But for a moment, we all shared something magical. Nature really does bring people together, even for a New York minute.