Survival

The world is a big place; while I was young, it stretched away in every direction for as far as I could see. As I grew so did the world, it seemed that the horizon retreated as I grew, there was always more to see. Of course, I was also more visible.

I became aware after an unknown number of seasons (perhaps fifteen, perhaps sixteen) that I was male. It was a shock to me to perceive differences in my fellows. I could discern the differences; I saw Male and female as; well different!

I must have been in another world with other priorities before this and the tall much taller than me female in plain view was magnificent. Trouble was of course, there were many other competing males, many other smaller females. As I took in the surroundings, I could see literally hundreds of them. I had just one advantage I was the closest to this magnificent beauty, this Goddess.

I tried to look larger, I stood as tall as I could and worked hard at increasing my stature. I worked hard, but she seemed to avoid me. I was despondent and went into rather a decline. My only solace was that she had not noticed any of my rivals either.

Eventually I revived, safe in that knowledge I was closest. I was now just a bit bigger than my nearest rival was and she seemed to be showing some interest!

I tried my hardest, but again she ignored me. I saw others come close to her but fail. I watched them, part with glee, part with sorrow. I knew I would have to do better than them to win her. Then I became sad as I saw the effect of her rejection upon the two suitors that had almost made it. I sank back into depression.

I needed a strategy, I needed to watch, to build my strength, to improve my stature, to improve my status and eventually she would recognize me. I began a waiting game. For many seasons, I put all my energy into improving myself. I saw many potential mates try and fail. I waited, perhaps, you could call me a coward, perhaps, just not competitive, or even just plain unsuited. But I strove harder and ever harder, my status improved with every others failure. My investment in my own stature paid dividends and then at the beginning of the season when I had decided to make my move I became aware of another, she was smaller by quite a bit, but she was delightfully slender. I postponed my attempt to win the day, this newcomer warranted some study.

I watched as the few that were left of my original rivals strove to attract my magnificient beauty and were confused by the presence of the much younger willowy creature that had caught my eye.

I was relieved to see them fail and knew that the extra season invested in watchfulness had bought my development to a real position of dominance. I decided to watch the contest between the now competing females. There were several slender females in my preview. I could literally take my pick I did after all have many seasons of stature!

Literally, scores of males around me had tried and failed to attract the slender females and none came near to the magnificent beauty oh so close beside me. With each season that I watched, I grew and with each season, I saw them fail. With each season, their failure, my stature and my status increased and improved. I began to see a difference between the females.

The young willowy creatures that had distracted me so, looked rather too slender. They still attracted males but they ended up spurning them, only to fail themselves. The original object of my attraction was also biding her time and now it was she who watched and waited for season after season. The smaller willowy creatures eventually succumbed and so did my competitors. I realized that the way was now clear.

I stood head and shoulders far above all rivals my true love also stood tall and straight. She finally acknowledged me; with a seemingly easy step, we came together, and bore fruit. That was the first of many a happy season.

We were the dominant redwood trees in this part of the forest and seeded a myriad of young to begin their long journey to mastery of the forest floor. We would survive and breed for centuries our progeny would survive for Eons.

Authors note,

Canadian Redwood trees are at least a hundred years old before they seed successfully. They have male and female trees often growing in close proximity, just born to breed and continue the species, most fail to seed.