Why I'm a Tree Hugger.

• Date: 01 December 2018
• Author: Higgins, Maeve

I saw a woman hugging a tree on a Brooklyn street corner shortly after Donald Trump was elected President. I was rushing to catch the train and heard a rustling from one of the trees that line the sidewalk. When I glanced over, I realized it was a woman softly embracing a sycamore.

Her hands didn't quite meet but she had melted into the tree and her eyes, mid-cuddle, were closed. I looked away quickly, because it felt like a private moment, but also because I wanted to laugh. But in the following weeks, as the full horror of Trumps reign began to sink in, I too started to sidle up to a sturdy maple on my block and give it a quick squeeze before running to catch the F train.

It was winter then and the branches were bare, but let me tell you--hugging that tree felt good. No matter the season, a tree's trunk stands solid, the bark rough and reliable. I was self-conscious at first; actually, I still am. I...