The forest keeps its own ledger in the rings of each tree, in the length of leaves that unfurl each spring and the depth of the root systems that drink in winter. When the sun’s angle shifts, the trees sense it and adjust their growth rings accordingly; a thicker ring in a cool year means the forest drew more water, while a thinner ring in a warm year signals drought. By recording these changes, the forest remembers how to balance moisture, light, and soil. When the pattern stays true, the forest stays whole; when it falters, I watch the canopy sigh and the roots tug harder. That is how the cycles keep the balance.