A Daughter's Walk Through Grief
Nature, Botany of Trees, Healing Through Nature, Grief Journey
Date Published: 05-23-2025
Publisher: Holy Cow! Press
These intimate portraits of trees are a balm that heals grief.
In this memoir, Stephanie Mirocha weaves a blend of botany, philosophy,
personal reflections, and healing through nature from grief after the loss of
her father. Trees provide the backdrop of friendly support she clings to as
she revives her father's educational Tree Trek. She "speaks for the trees,"
bringing enthusiasm to the treks she leads. Each chapter focuses on the
science of a different tree, connecting the reader with the beauty of nature,
and the vitality that comes from listening to the guiding wisdom of one's
inner voice.
Excerpt
In my scientific study of trees, I have learned the particular traits
and idiosyncrasies of each species which, in a nonscientific way, imbues them
with personality. As my dad used to say about any species, “That’s
their nature, just the way (fill in the blank) are.” These traits can
reflect our own inner natures and make connections to our own lives. A swamp
white oak in winter holding onto its leaves may strike some people as
stubborn, others as steadfastly persevering, still others as merely
decorative, or it might make a connection to some memory from long ago.
Depending on what experiences we bring to the situation, we will be drawn to
one or more favorite trees that somehow speak to us.
They reflect what we need, like healing from grief, as we focus both within
ourselves and beyond ourselves at the same time. In this way, trees bring us
home.
Let’s fill in my dad’s blank with juniper. Imagine a juniper
coming into view as we walk through the forest. Juniper stands there pure,
unmasked, with no agenda at all. Something makes us stop and admire her,
feeling her truth flow through us. What does juniper give us? Different things
for different people. She is just benignly there, presenting her dark blue
“berries” amidst her prickly fronds, always extending an
invitation to rest beneath for a while and contemplate…what?
That is for you to find out!
There are many paths to take through grief. Nature offers one way to help move
through this powerful emotion and find our way forward, but each path is
different and deeply personal. As you walk with me on my grief trek through
the trees in these pages, my hope is to open one possible doorway for you to
process your own suffering. I have found that spending time in nature offers a
trail leading directly into the heart, and, at the very least, to a sense of
calm. This is doable for everyone because we are part of nature. The calmness
we find beyond ourselves reflects the meditative truth and beauty of our own
inner wisdom shining from within. One key moment is all it takes to start
things in motion
About the Author
Stephanie Mirocha is a visual artist, author, Minnesota master
naturalist and science communicator who grew up climbing trees and exploring
the city park across from her childhood home. Her creative art expression not
only takes form in her passion for writing but also translates into her career
as a fine art painter. Besides creating the art for this book, she has
illustrated four children’s picture books connecting children to nature.
Frog in the House won the 2016 Giverny Award for a science picture book in
English, and My Little Book of Bald Eagles won 1st place, Juvenile Nonfiction,
in the 2010 Next Gen Indie Book Awards. She and her scientist father shared a
poetic heart and a love for nature, each informing and supporting the other
throughout their close relationship. Graduating from the University of
Minnesota with a BA in Philosophy, Stephanie followed her free spirit and
embraced the unconventional life of an artist after moving to Aitkin, a small
town in north central Minnesota. This is her first written book. Her art
business website is https://stephaniemirocha.com/.
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