Two men were found guilty in the UK on Friday, of cutting down an iconic tree.

The deliberate felling of the tree occurred in September 2023. The story soon become a global outrage.

A park ranger was first to witness that the tree hadn’t blown down in a storm. It had a clean cut and was clearly an act of sabotage.

The ranger recalls, “It was like ringing people to tell them someone had passed away. There were numerous members of staff in tears.”

What’s the Big Story?

Many hundreds of years ago Britain was part of the Roman Empire. Under the rule of various emperors, the Roman’s occupied most of the British Isles for about 400 years.

The Romans brought many things to Britain – Urban Life, Latin Language, and Christianity. Their legacy also includes the building of forts, walls, and a network of roads.

Many of the structures built by the Romans in Britain still exist today.

Perhaps the most widely known structure built by the Romans, is Hadrian’s Wall. The wall is considered a British cultural icon.

The wall was built in the year 122, under the rule of Emperor Hadrian (r. 117-138). The wall spans the width of England from coast to coast, slightly south of where the England/Scotland border currently exists.

At the time it was built as a defensive fortification and marked the Roman frontier. A large stone wall was protected by deep ditches on either side, with soldiers garrisoned along the wall in forts.

Given it was built over 1900 years ago, none of the remaining wall stands at its original height.

Thanks to modern excavations much of the original footings have been exposed. 

A public walking path has been created next to the wall, and the excavated forts are open to the public.

Sycamore Gap Tree

Standing in a dramatic landscape dip created by glacial meltwater, stood one of the country’s most photographed trees.

Estimated to be about 150 years-old, the tree is an emblem for Northern England. It won the 2016 England Tree of the Year award.

The tree stood theatrically in the centre of a natural dip next to Hadrian’s Wall. It was a popular destination for visitors, marriage proposals, and featured prominently in Kevin Costner’s 1991 film, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Why the Anger?

The tree and the picturesque setting across the dip in the horizon were a creation of natural beauty.

In the early hours of September 28th, 2023, at the height of 60mph winds during Storm Agnes, two friends trekked under the cover of darkness and cut down the iconic tree using a chainsaw.

The felling was clearly an amateur job. For whatever reason, the vandals filmed the moment the famous sycamore came crashing to the ground.

They didn’t realise that the phone and vehicle they used would be tracked. 

They also didn’t imagine the level of public outrage that would ensue.

It turns out British people are quite proud and protective of their history, and historic landmarks. I imagine most citizens of most nations would feel the same way.

One of the defendants told the court, “It’s just a tree”, during the trial. Believing that, is ignoring the reality most of us reside in.

Being occupied by a ruling empire might not, at first glance, be a period held as a proud defining moment for a nation.

That’s not my experience of how British people view 400 years of Roman occupation. Nor any other occupation, defeat, or national disaster.

You see, not every moment in history can be fortified with heroism and ‘victory’. Everyone, at one point or another, takes a knock on the chin, or receives a grounding humbling.

Reacting to and then overcoming those setbacks create the moments that ultimately define us. Reflecting on our lowest moments provide greater assurance and guidance than any perceived success.

Embrace ‘Every Bit’ of Your History

Given that you’re a living and breathing human, I’m fairly certain you’ve lived through moments of intense suffering.

I’m also willing to guess there are moments in your life you’d wish to erase from your memory – through shame, embarrassment, guilt, trauma, or regret.

What if, instead of wishing they never happened, you indulge their beauty?

What if, your deepest secrets become your most scared momentsthat fuel the success, happiness, and impact you desire?

These things happened to you for a reason. They make you who you are.

Look closely and you will see your very personal, beautiful, and picturesque Sycamore Gap. It’s growing from a part of you that was once the scene of your deepest trauma.

That trauma left a legacy of treasure behind.

To quote one of my favourite teachers – Wayne Dyer, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”