As a child, I recall going on walks with my Papa along the trails of the Pacific Spirit Park. It doesn't occur to me that he was a man of many words on those walks, though it could also be the loose memories of that young child growing into a middle-aged man.
Yet during one of those many walks, I recall him telling me once that if I were to ever find myself lost from him to look at the moss on the trees.
"Moss only grows on the north side of the tree, as the sun touches the other three sides and moss doesn't like the sun. Then head east and you'll eventually get to Camosun."
Made perfect sense to me. And why would I ever think to question the wisdom of my Papa. He was old and that meant he knew stuff. Plus I was a pretty observant kid and knew if I found my way to Camosun Street I could find my way back to my Nana & Papa's house.
Later on in life, I was both in Cub Scouts and Scouts. Had many a walk through Pacific Spirit Park. Even had a few walks around Camp Byng in Roberts Creek, BC. And that same story was told by our leaders - "moss grows on the north side of the tree."
Again, adults were extremely wisdomous and why would I ever think to question sage advice like this? I was a wanderer and could always use that skill of finding my way out of wherever I found myself lost in.
Fast-forwarding about twenty years or so, I'm having a casual conversation with my now father-in-law - himself someone who ran a silviculture business and spent much of his time lost in the bush - and made the comment that moss only grows on the north side of the tree.
He looked at me somewhat confused and plainly said, "no, that's a myth."
I was stunned. Who was I to correct this obvious inaccuracy on his part.
But my father-in-law is a wise man in his own right, and not one to rely on just his opinion, brought source material to support his argument. Sharing the pages with me, he said something along the following lines...
"Moss will grow wherever there's moisture an the right microclimate needed to survive. It doesn't care about the direction it faces and no one ever told it moss direction in the first place."
I think that last bit was mean to be dry humour. He's funny like that.
Yet here I was, living a life of lies having trusted the wisdom imparted to me by so many people. Moss doesn't grow on just the north side of trees!?
"No way!?" 🤯
This is my submission for the June 2026 IndieWeb Carnival. The theme is “No way!?”, hosted by Alex Hsu.