While I had some hope that it would be useful, that wasn’t why I undertook the task. I did it because my heart demanded it. With all the destruction from the winds last week, the entire state is still cleaning up from downed trees, and I believe there are still some power outages in a few places. The local municipality — Midwest City — is also way behind the curve on removing downed trees and limbs. There is lots of wilted greenery along the curbs in yards all over the city.
As you might expect, that includes the city parks. During my mid-week heavy workout in the park, I had to ride around some broken limbs, and one huge sycamore lying across the trail. Something hit me today and I loaded up some tools to see if I could help a little by doing some preparatory cutting. But the real reason was to go and pray, and to also show some respect for the tree that had served so long as a beautiful shade and companion to those few whose hearts are awake.
The first image above shows a little less than an hour into the job. I worked with reverence, praying that the remains would still serve some purpose. I admit I don’t know whether a sycamore offers anything edible or medicinal, but I do know that trees have life and purpose in Creation. At the same time, I felt it would lighten the load a little on the city workers if all they had to do was swing a chainsaw on what was left when I finished. But after another half-hour or so, a very large articulated front-loader came roaring up from the other end of the park. I knew the worker was coming to move the tree I was working on, because it was lying across the path.
He said something to indicate he appreciated the thought, but I could tell he was thinking I wasted my time and energy. It didn’t hurt my feelings. Try to understand: I wouldn’t scold him for not understanding the heart-led way. He’s just one example of the mainstream, without a clue to a whole world of life around them. But what did unsettle me just a bit was watching how he went about the job of moving that tree off the path. He viewed the remains as a problem, a hassle. It’s one thing to note that this was just one guy working alone with a machine poorly suited to the job, but the whole scene was a little disturbing. The tree was not too happy with it, for sure.
There was nothing in this scene about respect for the Creator and all that He has given us. Even if we acknowledge that the only thing anyone could do is turn that tree into mulch with a grinder, that’s better than the irritated manner in which the tree was handled. In the process he scraped a couple of still standing trees pretty hard. He did get it off the trail, but I was discouraged enough to leave and not work any longer on the job.
I can so relate, Ed. I love trees as you know. And how kind it was of you to treat that tree with the respect and love it was due. It saddens me how little Creation is held in the reverence it deserves, but it is the way of the world and I cannot expect or hope for anything different. In the meantime, those of us that “know” will commune with Father’s creatures, great and small.