By Christopher Vasquez and Erick De Luna
The Seabers’ plot of land sits at the end of a long stretch of country road, hidden from the rest of the world. Deep within, a treehouse sits nestled in an oak tree almost three stories high. On the way up, the wooden steps seem unsteady. Ropes act as guard rails leaving one fearful of falling straight down.
Thomas Seabers, 21, began building his treehouse during the winter break of 2014, without pre-sketches or blueprints. His little sanctuary, hidden on the South East side of San Antonio just west of Calaveras Lake, sits on his parents’ 21-acre property.
Thomas’ simplistic approach towards life is influenced by his religious beliefs. He said he’s a Christian at heart, led to live a life free from materialism. He inherited his faith from his parents Joe and Donna Seabers who regularly hold Sunday services at their country home.
Thomas’ parents bought the land when Thomas was a year old. Now 21, the Seabers’ property is a distinctive part of their heritage.
As we drive in, Thomas passes us on his father’s red tractor. He pulls up beside us, silencing the humming motor and instructs us to pull near his parents’ house. We drive forward, passing a horse corral on the right. A blonde-maned horse rests in its pen.
The sound of chicken coops from his neighbor and the sight of horses in the distant field remind you exactly where you are.
As we park, Thomas’ father approaches the car and introduces himself. “Joe Seabers,” he said, stretching out his hand through the halfway rolled down window.
Once off the tractor, Thomas walks over to greet us holding a ukulele. He stands about six feet tall with light brown dreadlocks hanging past his shoulders. He wore a navy blue tee, cargo shorts and flip flops. A perceivably modest nature about him can be seen on his face. The dreadlocks make you wonder where the nearest beach is.
He plays his banjo-ukulele, strumming a Hawaiian-esque melody; A rhythm that fits perfectly with the setting.
At the base of the giant oak tree lies a memorial of his late grandparents. It reads GONE FISHING. He laughed, remembering the kind of people they were.
Scaling Thomas’ tree house takes you up two flights, which takes you to a grey wooden platform made of recycled wood, which overlooks the property. A picturesque moment that makes climbing the shaky ladders well worth it.
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“My friends think this doesn’t hold up, but it’s sturdy,” Thomas said, bouncing his feet, which caused the wooden platform to sway back and forth.
Up one more row of stairs lies his sanctuary with a gable ceiling and wooden floors. A red and yellow striped linen hammock welcomes everyone as you pass the bamboo doorway.
“That’s the guest bed,” Thomas said. The entrance faces a large window for viewing the lush greenery of the Seabers property. Near the window, a wooden antique ship’s wheel hangs in the corner. Christmas lights line the walls of the small cabin, illuminating a collection of Gundam action figures and books covering a range of religious topics.
“I’ve had a bible study of 13 people up here,” he said, smiling at the accomplishment.
A white feathered dreamcatcher swaying in the wind reminded us it wasn’t a dream.
“My dad helped me build the frame.” Thomas adds, “He created the H-braces which hold it to the tree. It took me three months to make.
It cost roughly around $1,000 to build. Much of the material is recycled and helped keep the cost down. “I’m waiting for someone to hire me out,” he laughed.
The treehouse is a reflection of his nomadic lifestyle. Never fully grounded and swaying in the wind.
At 18, he says that God called him to hitchhike. “I didn’t have an interest and then (during prayer) I just got an itch to go out and be homeless.”
It was through these experiences that Thomas began his journey, never knowing if he would return home.
He has seen the swamps of the South, walked through the deserts of New Mexico, and has experienced the mountains of Colorado, each giving him perspective into the lives of others.
“I met the former owner of the largest brothel in Dallas,” he said. Another time, he spent three days in the Rocky mountains.
It was during one of these hitching trips that Thomas realized what he had to do to change his life.
“People are living their lives all wrong,” Thomas said. “Go out for five weeks then come back and try to watch TV.”
“I had a digression in my life (emotionally),” he said. “It was then that I realized the value of college.”
A sophomore, Thomas now pursues a Liberal Arts degree at Palo Alto College.
Down below, a man in his late 30s with a heavy southern accent called to us.
“Y’all look like the Lost Boys up there,” yelled Darren.
A welder and former convict, the Seabers family took Darren and his wife Crystal in when they had nowhere to turn.
“We met them at a Bible study and they were going through a hard time,” Thomas said.
A bird flew by, landing on a tree limb nearby. “That’s Bird the Turd,” Thomas said. A Sun parakeet, the colorful yellow infused with splashes of green and red made it distinct among the foliage, a kind of reflection of the Seabers farm: colorful and filled with personality.
You forget where you are at times. The serene landscape alongside the 100-year old Oak tree brings out the nostalgia of a place we often miss. For Thomas, this “hippiepad” is his home. He plans on expanding to other oak trees around the area, making his home much bigger.
