Lesson From a Tree

On the corner of my property in Roxton, sits is a large shapely tree. This tree has brought much enjoyment to many people including my children and their friends who have climbed it. For my son and his friends, the tree was the perfect place to plan and build a child's dream — a treehouse. It was a favorite place to take pictures of special moments such as the first day of school or simply candid shots of friends and loved ones. I'm now continuing this practice with my grandsons.

Several years back, this special tree was damaged. It seemed to die. I thought about cutting it down. But this spring, I was surprised to see life. New leaves begin to sprout and a little seed of hope was planted in my heart that the tree might recover. Every year I have witnessed its struggle. The tree's desire to live and be used. This year, it now looks more alive than dead. Does it still have problems? Yes, it does. It still has dead limbs at its top that seems to serve absolutely no purpose. Looks can be deceiving, though.

Every morning and every evening, I sit in the swing on my front porch. Sometimes the beauty of the birds singing is overwhelming. If I were to close my eyes, I could imagine myself in a jungle. many different birds live in that tree. I have recently found out there's a new species of bird that has taken up nesting in the seemingly dead branches. I've been told it's a black-bellied Mexican whistling duck or fulvous free duck. It doesn't matter. That story is for another time. The point is sometimes we can't see the purpose of something that's not useful to us or that it's changed. That is, we can't see the purpose until someone comes along who thinks differently and sees beauty in what something can be. We've all heard the saying, "One man's trash is another man's treasure."

It's the same in our little town. There are at least three houses that I know of that are undergoing major renovations. We can all learn a lesson from that old tree. Just like the tree, new life is emerging physically and these lives believe what could be so much so that they have invested their time, money, and effort to make Roxton their home. I hope when you believe this, too: "Hope, like the gleaming taper's light, Adorns and cheers our way; And still, as darker grows the night, Emits a brighter ray. "— Oliver Goldsmith