Tree Removal Stirs Up Emotions and Reflection
Last night, I tossed and turned in troubled sleep anticipating today's events. This morning, a local tree service arrived to fall four large fir trees on our property. My love of trees and nature was colliding with the need to create a space to build the foundation for our parent's backyard cottage. Finally, my husband reached through the dark, found my hand, and said wisely, " Don't worry, the trees are moving on for a higher purpose. Their branches and limbs will be turned into mulch. The trunks will be cut into logs and, in several winters, they will warm our homes. Besides, the new place will be perfect for your mom and dad."
We live in a multi-generational home with my sister and her husband. Right now, our parents are living upstairs with my husband and me. Dad is 87 and has dementia, mom is nearly 90. They need us, they also need their privacy, as do we. My sis and her husband have the lower floor. The two-story home is large enough to provide plenty of space for two couples - we also have separate entrances. There is no need for shared living space. Right now, we're making the best of the situation. Once mom and dad have their own home, in late October, we will all have complete privacy again. It will be good for all of us.
Trees and Nature and The Cycle of Life
Therefore, this clearing is necessary. The trees have to go. And after all, we still have plenty of other large fir trees on our acreage. However, for this nature lover, the process brings mixed emotions. How long did these trees stand providing oxygen, shade, and wind shelter? As I dig deeper, there's an epiphany, it occurs to me the cycle of life is taking center stage today. Perhaps, that's part of the melancholy I'm feeling. I'm reminded of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, wisdom recognizes that everything in life has its own season - in human activities as in the realm of nature. "There is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven."
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