Something about palm trees makes me happy. Perhaps they are a reminder of past travels, places of importance, childhood, or of people who are special to me. Perhaps they remind me of a state of relaxation I can only find while traveling. Perhaps they remind me of a climate I yearn to live in. Whatever the reason, there is a sense of relaxation that comes along with every one – whether wild, manicured, or simply a silhouette. Magazines and travel websites always captivate me with their wistful and enticing photos of tropical and luxurious destinations peppered with flowing palms. There are few other iconic natural items that instill such a deep calmness in me in the same way.

Las Vegas sunset palms
Las Vegas sunset

At the beach, I imagine the coconut that formed each coconut palm, floating aimlessly in the ocean until it created a home in the sand. I listen to the sound of millions of slivers of palm leaves shimmering in the breeze or their silhouette against a vibrant sunset. In my older age, I love the natural shade palms provide on a hot day.

In the city, I think of what the area used to look like before the buildings. Were palm trees natural here? Did landscapers add them just to add a touch of tropical flare to our city blocks? Date palms, fan palms, needle palms, fern palms. All unique in silhouette, all inspiring.

There is always a story to be told by their shape, orientation, and placement.

Padangbai harbor, Bali, Indonesia
Padangbai harbor, Bali
Mendoza, Argentina palm trees
Mendoza, Argentina palm trees
Shadow of a Puerto Rican palm tree
Shadow of a Puerto Rican palm tree
Palms on Maho Bay, St John
Palms on Maho Bay, St John
Siem Reap, Cambodia sunset palms
Siem Reap, Cambodia sunset palms

 

Koh Lanta, Thailand palm lined beach
Koh Lanta, Thailand
Cerro San Cristobal, Santiago, Chile
Cerro San Cristobal, Santiago, Chile

 

Palm tree shade in the USVI
Hansens Bay, St John
New Zealand fern palms at Wainui Falls
Wainui Falls, New Zealand
Ka'anapali, Maui, Hawaii sunset
Ka’anapali, Maui

 

Venice Beach, California
Venice Beach, California