The tamarind is a tree I knew intimately from my time in Puerto Rico. There was one that grew over the terrace right outside my studio there. Before Hurricane Hugo in the late 80s, I went out on the terrace to perhaps say farewell to the house and all the plants surrounding it. I did not know if any of them would be standing. The tamarind tree was one of my favorites and one I had defended from the landlord's desire to cut down because it was so wanton with it's seedpods. I took in my hands one of its branches and wished it well and since I thought of it as very strong and resilient I requested that it would take care of our house if it could. As I spoke this in my mind, I felt a soft electrical charge run up through my hands and all through my body. To this day I believe that was the tree's way to speak back. And both the house and the tree were untouched even though being right by the ocean there was devastion all around.

Recently I found fresh tamarind pods for sale at a local market. I had not eaten a fresh tamarind since the late 80s. Of course I brought some home. What an amazing wealth of thank-filled memories flooded back