During a college journalism class back when Texas State was still Southwest Texas State University, professor Jeff Henderson asked me how I was able to write nine articles for the latest edition of the University Star newspaper.
Some students were having difficulty providing just one article approved for insertion in the two times a week publications.
“I’m stuck trying to find ideas,” “I don’t know who to go to,” “I thought you would assign us topics,” were some of comments prompting Jeff to ask me his question.
“I don’t need to be assigned a topic,” I answered. “Just go out and get them. Everyone has a story. They are all over the place.”
“All over?” one classmate asked. “How do you even know if one random person is going to even have an interesting news item to tell?
Jeff winked at me, smiling, as if he knew what my answer would be.
“EVERYBODY has a story to tell,” I answered. “There are stories all over this campus and this city. Heck, every square foot of this campus has the potential to be a story. I’ll even interview a statue or a tree if I have to!”
The class laughed, but Jeff interrupted, “That’s it! That is your assignment. By Tuesday you all need to bring a news article to class. It will be your interview with a tree!”
Some students laughed. Some moaned.
“It will count as 10% of your grade this semester.”
It was quite fun watching my friends watching me interview a tree next to Old Main, home to the Journalism Department.
Jeff loved the exercise, lessons and results so much. Years later he told me he continued that lesson in all of his Reporting 101 classes.
I tried to find a copy of my tree article from what University Star copies I still have decades later. And although I couldn’t find it, this article is similar to what I recall:
Your body is trying to keep you safe by giving you data. But the data may be wrong. There’s no predator about to attack. When anxiety hits, imagine yourself as a tree.
Think of your favorite tree or create one in your mind. Go interview it. Consider the deep network of its roots under the surface. No wind or force is strong enough to uproot the tree.
Imagine yourself as the tree. Note the roots of the tree extending from the soles of your feet, strongly rooted to the center of the Earth. You’re tethered, calm, and breathing. Strong as a tree — solid, calm, and confident.
The distinct parts of a tree provide a clear structure. They help organize and explore different aspects of a person’s life. This is less overwhelming than a blank slate. The metaphor draws on the proven psychological benefits of nature, such as reduced stress and improved mood.
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Clever Journeys 
Excellent. Love this. Reminds me of drama class when the teacher would have us role play – give life and improvised dialog to – inanimate objects; e.g., be the chalkboard, be my desk, be a book in the library, be the flagpole… crazy, but fun and seriously effective for learning to ‘become’ a character in a play.
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Your journalistic skills are deeply rooted and have branched off in many directions. 🙂 Great backstory, Jack! 🙂
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