The Bristlecone Pine trees living in this grove, located in the White Mountains on the California-Nevada border, are the world's most ancient living things. Some are over 5,000 years old! The ones pictured here have been alive for 4,000 years. Many flourish on talus slopes of pure dolomitic rock, where they encounter very little competition. Although they live in a harsh alpine environment of intense cold and pummeling, moisture-sucking winds, these very conditions are a key to their survival. Because these Bristlecones must grow so slowly, their wood is incredibly dense. This in turn prevents pests from getting a foothold, thus ensuring the longevity of the trees! We can apply this lesson to our own lives as well. While we often might feel tempted to bemoan the fact that our personal, emotional and spiritual growth often proceed at such a slow pace, we can find joy in the fact that this ensures our lessons are being learned with a thoroughness that will impart to them a greater longevity!
Photos: The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Inyo National Forest, near Big Pine, CA, July 20, 2015
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