The Arborist

Here is a most beautiful story I had the gift of experiencing. - We have a tree on the Farm which is requiring some attention. One of the three Arborists I called came by last week. He was due at 11:00, but called me at 10:30 to say he was running behind. I already appreciated his level of integrity. - He arrived and as all folks do, was immediately looking around at the magnificent setting of greenery, trees, sounds and sights of this beloved sanctuary we are gifted to call home. - Without my prodding, he passionately told me about two trees on our way to the one I had called him about. When we arrived I pointed out the other Horse Chestnut which had fallen earlier this year, hence our concern about this elder, grand, shade giving tree. - He began his loving dissertation by placing his rather large, earth worn, young hand on the side of the trunk, upon what we would call a burl,"see this, this is a wound. This metal here, (which I had never noticed) had been placed in the tree years ago and if they had prepared the hole first, by drilling, it would not have caused this, but they simply put the metal in the tree...to hold a hammock or such....and caused a wound. This is the scarring."

I was spiritually in love with a young man 25 years my younger. He spoke my language. We would communicate extraordinarily well. - "This tree will not come down like the other one - see, the other one stood alone, by itself, in the pasture. No other trees around it. In the early winter look at a mountain range. One pine will be above all the others. In the spring it will be down. A storm, the winds -- will take down the one which stands alone." - We engaged in a beautiful convertsaion, how people are the same. When we stand by ourselves we will most certainly fall. When we are in community, we have others to rally around us, to protect us if needed, to support us and help us to stand full. If, as I have had the humbling experience of all too many times, we think we stand by ourselves, above others; we will most certainly be taken off our pedestal by some kind of storm! The winds of ego can be crueler than a New England blizzard.

He went on to explain that this particular tree can and should be saved, by simply trimming down the tall pieces and taking off the dead wood...and a few safety measures too. - We walked to the back pasture and stood by the fence which beckons everyone - and chatted about the property, the land, the pond and its' perfect Weeping Willow. - As with many conversations I experience, he went on to open up to me about his learning challenges which helped him to discover becoming an Arborist. Studying all day and being at a desk was not his calling; but his God given gift to touch a tree and know its sacred worth is. - We shared on how my husband and I found ourselves to be here,the manifesting of our dream property by the grace of God via a dear friend who thought we may like the opportunity living here as caretakers would offer us. - As he walked to his car, he turned to me and said, "It's really nice to meet someone who has gotten all she wanted in her life." - My breath was taken back! - In silence I contemplated his comment, and imagined that this man will forever consider meeting someone who he sees as having received all she ever asked for. The acceptance of that is too immense to consider. The law that what we think of others, when we think of others, and that the energy of that is manifestation-well, gratitude doesn't touch my thankfulness. To also know that since he can see that, he can have that also - God in motion. Oh, so Good!

As he drove from the back yard I could not thank God enough for this precious 30 minutes I had with a stranger. I will always remember him placing his worn gentle hand on the big 'ole Horse Chestnut tree saying, "this is a wound." The bark grows around it to protect it and hardens, just like our skin - either emotionally or physically. All wounds have protected covering - some are easier to see than others, some are harder than others - and like a wooden bowl created from the burl of a tree -the scarring can be made into a beautiful container - just with some faith, help and creative ingenuity.