The unseen

Published 10:45 am Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Ancients tell us if you only look, you might not see. Then again, Sherlock Holmes reminds us you might see but not observe. Taking your time to know what is important is a valuable skill. It must be developed, as both Sherlock Holmes knew and Biblical scholars observed.

A memorable flight happened recently. I hovered at some length at the Earth Day Exposition held at Athens State University. Whole news reports have come out about this event, but one theme caught me. Almost all of the people representing good ecological causes here are “unseen” by the rest of us when they do good.

If you took Athens State’s “Tree Tour,” you could see that patience might not be an American trait, but it certainly is a natural-studies virtue. President James Madison’s estate has given Athens a Kentucky coffee tree. When times were hard — and real coffee gone on the lonely new Kentucky barrens — frontier settlers would use “coffee like” beans from this tree as substitutes. So, too, tulip poplars derived from seeds on George Washington’s Mount Vernon are here. Then again, we see an Alamo Oak, planks of which species were used in the USS Constitution, “Old Ironsides.” Each of these plants — and all the other famous trees marked around the campus — took years of patient nurturing to grow. They each serve a good purpose and help us live better, happier lives. Who planted them for us to learn from and enjoy their pleasant shade?

Near the entrance to the expo were Ham Radio operators. They “live” on the airwaves, regularly in touch with those around the world. Yet most of us never know they even exist. They communicate with foreign citizens, emergency teams, officials and others from literally every continent. Did you know that if our power goes down, say in a tornado, the ham operators and their huge antennas become our means of communication? Present with the operators were a couple of Limestone County Emergency Management team members. They pointed out that the Ham Operators were registered with our Emergency Response Center in case a crisis needed their skills. Who knew? And, did you know Limestone County Sheriff’s Office has an official rescue boat? A comprehensive briefing by trained sheriff’s deputies explained how in a river or lake emergency, such as boat crashes, drownings or missing persons overboard, such a boat is essential. Alabama’s deepest lake, Smith Lake, will only give up its dead through use of side scanning radar, use of professional divers or even drones, which survey shallow side valleys. Capabilities such as deep-sea divers or advanced radars from as far away as Mobile, where ocean search and rescue is often needed, can be called upon as well. When equipment, professional skills and vehicles from many jurisdictions come together, teamwork and collegiality rule the day. A sense of common cause precludes turf complaints. Good people working professionally together, outside the limelight, on behalf of us all.

We found out how our Browns Ferry/Tennessee Valley Authority employees volunteer their free time to clean trash from rivers, or even build play areas for little kids. So many do so much for us. I flew by and learned an entire year’s plan for future cleanup efforts is in the works now by our Keep Athens Limestone Beautiful.

You won’t see the master gardeners, but you’ll see their handiwork. Well-manicured gardens at intersections, on street sides or even in front of buildings will be there for you to appreciate instead. Their humility is only matched by their green thumb skills at knowing what planting works, and why.

So, there might one day be a park where the Pilgrim’s Pride plant stood. We can imagine what botanical wonders that park might display. Until that day, we can hope the unseen, ecologically-minded among us will continue their patient, careful, projects. Once our community decides to go forward together for the common good, we can bring nature’s wonders to fruition.