The Living Tree I haven’t

Jun 1, 2001

The Living Tree I haven’t mentioned little Anna in weeks, but don’t for a moment think that my darling daughter isn’t foremost in my mind and always near my side (when I’m at home). Being a dad is a fabulous role, and I’m so happy to share my love with Anna. Yesterday, Erin and Anna met me for lunch at the Cleveland Museum of Art, where we sat in the sun-filled courtyard. Today, I met the two of them at downtown Cleveland’s Playhouse Square Center for a free lunch-time performance of The Living Tree, a dance performed by a troupe from India. This was a story inspired by Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree and based on an ancient Indian fable about a mango tree, and was produced by a wonderful woman named Uma Ganesan. What a nice coincidence—the last speech I gave to my friends in Liro Village when I was in the Peace Corps was an enactment of The Giving Tree, which I tailored to match the gigantic mango tree outside the Maurice Frater Memorial Church in Liro. That story was the most fitting symbol of gratitude I could think of to share with the village community that had given Erin and me so very much during our two years in their company. Thank you Uma for putting that story to dance.

Anton Zuiker ☄