Wisdom from Grandma Capilano

Say hello to Grandma Capilano, a living example of the power of perseverance. She is an ancient Douglas Fir who lives in the old-growth forest between the Capilano (Kia’Palano) River and Trail on the unceded territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. The name Capilano was derived from the Squamish Nation’s Kia’palano, which means “beautiful river.”

Grandma Capilano is an awe-inspiring sight at over 250 feet tall and 1,300+ years old. Majestic and regal, with a trunk as straight as an arrow that appears to stretch straight up into the heavens beyond her enormous emerald-green canopy.

When I came upon her, I was immediately struck by her presence and mesmerized by her beauty. There was an energy and aura about her that is difficult to describe but that I could inherently feel. Her bark was thick and corky with big deep grooves. The park information sign did not provide an exact measurement of her trunk, but I suspect it would have taken at least five or six adults with arms fully outstretched to wrap themselves around her.

Completely transfixed, I stared for what felt like a very long time as I tried to wrap my head around what I was in the presence of. I immediately wondered what qualifies as a “long time” when standing before something so ancient. Then I began to imagine all the historical events she would have lived through and all the geological and meteorological challenges she would have had to survive just for me to stand next to her on that cold December day.

It would have been somewhere around 700-800 AD when she was just a seedling. During that time, a woman named Wu Hou became the first female Empress to rule China, gunpowder was invented, and the city of Kyoto was founded as the original capital of Japan. Grandma Capilano just went by Capilano back then, and she busied herself putting down her roots.

As a young, ambitious tree, I imagine she entered her teenage years roughly around 1,000-1,100 AD. The Tower of London was freshly constructed, a Byzantine Empress named Zoe poisoned her husband Romanus III, the first Crusades had begun, and the Viking explorations arrived in North America. The land that would one day become Canada supports roughly 300,000 native peoples, and Capilano continues to stretch herself up towards the stars while offering herself up as a place of shelter for all creatures, big and small.

Middle age arrives somewhere between 1,500 and 1,700 AD. Much to her dismay, a prolonged drought ravages the Pacific Northwest in the early part of the 16th century and lasts for several decades. Not long after, the Cascadia earthquake of January 1700 rocks the West Coast of Canada. It hits a whopping 9.2 on the Richter scale and launches a devastating Tsunami toward neighbouring Japan. Thanks to her unbelievable core strength and a vast underground network of roots supplying her with nourishment, Capilano prevails and further spreads her limbs in the face of adversity.

Now, 1,300+ years have passed since her germination, and the mighty entity known as Grandma Capilano has taken her rightful place as the matriarch of the forest. Through the ages, she has amassed a wealth of wisdom and countless insights that she will graciously impart to any passerby who is willing to take the time to pause and be with her for a while. There is so much we humans can learn from her unwavering strength and determination.

Captivated by the wonder of it all, I tipped my toque to honour this bona fide titan of perseverance and carried on my journey through the enchanted ancient forest.

As a coach, I often see clients encounter different obstacles and setbacks on the path toward their goals. Just like Grandma Capilano, it is important to remember that perseverance is a key ingredient to success and that the obstacles and setbacks we encounter along the way are the very things that make us stronger, the taste of success so much sweeter once we arrive.

When faced with adversity, it can be easy to become discouraged and even give up on our dreams. In these moments, it’s essential to remain firmly rooted, just like Grandma Capilano, tap into our support networks and keep moving forward, no matter how insurmountable the journey may seem. If we trust in our own strength and use the power of perseverance to remain resilient, we can achieve anything we set our minds to.