“Oh yeah, right, dad. Sure. It’s a tree. Big deal.”
Perry Van Houten
Perry Van Houten, senior reporter for the Ojai Valley News, was first introduced to Meher Mount in 2014 when he did a magazine article on iconic Ojai trees for the Ojai Valley Visitors Guide. He then tired to persuade his kids to visit Baba’s Tree. In April 2022, Perry shared his family’s story during a filmed interview for the documentary about Baba’s Tree.
UNDER THE LIMBS of Baba’s Tree at Meher Mount. (Photo: Sam Ervin, 2014)
From Perry Van Houten
One Sunday morning, a friend and I did a tree tour of the Ojai area, and we came up to Meher Mount to see Baba’s Tree. I couldn’t believe it was one tree.
After that, I got my family involved. My kids were 10 years old and 15 years old at the time. It was important for me that they learn to appreciate and love nature.
When I initially had the idea to go up to Meher Mount, they were like, “Oh yeah, right, dad. Sure. It’s a tree. Big deal.”
But once they saw Baba’s Tree, their jaws were hanging open. We spent several hours. It’s not really a usual thing to get kids to be patient enough to hang out under a tree for a couple of hours. But I think they felt something special.
They experienced something that they had never encountered before – this huge, amazing tree and just the peace that comes with sitting under it. They were in awe.
It became a family outing after school to come up to Meher Mount and sit on the brow of the mountain here and look out over the ocean, and just feel the peace that Baba’s Tree provided.
It was very personal for us. It was something that my kids loved to do, and they still talk about it.
I think those visits did increase their love of nature and opened their eyes to what’s out there.
“Now, go out and see the view and try to love Baba [God] through nature. This is all due to my love. This whole creation, this nature, all the beauty you see, all came out of me.”