Two trees, one little miracle
TWO TREES, ONE LITTLE MIRACLE 🌿
The story of May Retreat's gentle giants
At May Retreat, we have two beautiful "đinh" trees, a rare and precious Vietnamese timber species listed in Vietnam's Red Data Book.
Their story began long before they arrived at May.
Many years ago, local villagers brought them home from the forest as tiny saplings and cared for them as they grew. By the time we decided to bring them to May Retreat, they were already around 14–15 metres tall.
And that's where the adventure began.
The road leading to May is narrow and winding, barely three metres wide. There was simply no way a large crane could get through.
Someone suggested bringing the trees in through our neighbours' yards, creating a route from the main road all the way to May.
It sounded almost impossible.
But somehow, with the kindness and help of our neighbours, it worked.
Today, the two trees stand tall and strong in front of May Retreat, perfectly balanced, like two gentle guardians watching over our little haven of peace.
But their journey didn't end there.
The ground where we planted them was once filled with leftover concrete and broken bricks from construction. We had to dig deep before reaching the natural mountain soil and rock beneath.
Not exactly the easiest place for a tree to put down roots.
And yet, nature had other plans.
Against all odds, both trees flourished. Their branches reached out, their leaves grew thick and green, and before long, their canopies were spreading shade across the entire front of May.
Then came another lovely surprise.
From those sturdy trunks and branches appeared clusters of delicate white flowers.
And now, on some mornings, we wake up to find the porch scattered with fallen blossoms.
No grand occasion. No special arrangement.
Just nature, quietly doing something beautiful.
Moments like these remind us how simple, and how extraordinary, life can be.
We spend so much of our time looking for something more, something new, something exciting. Yet sometimes, all the wonder we need is already right in front of us.
In the shade of an old tree.
In a handful of white blossoms.
In the cool morning air.
All we have to do is slow down, take a deep breath, and be fully present.
Because sometimes, the most beautiful things in life are the ones we almost forget to notice. ❤️
