Without our big toes, we would have no balance. I suspect there are other body parts one could use to help folks reflect on the body. The roots of a coast redwood are very shallow, growing only four to six feet deep, but spread out from the tree as far as 125 feet. Heavy rains and strong winds can bring even the biggest giant crashing to the ground. But the roots of individual redwoods frequently grow intertwined with those of their neighbors.
Shallow roots are sensitive to smothering silt.
The redwood's roots are shallow so that they can collect the large amounts of moisture the tree requires. When sediment accumulates atop its roots, a redwood responds by growing a new root system upward, into the silt.