The Old Fallen Tree July 27th, 2010 Just recently I took my family and we went on a camping trip. When we arrived at the campgrounds, the skies opened up and we were greeted with an enormous downpour of the H2O variety. The site we were to pitch the tent on soon became swampland and we were forced to choose another site. The second site was on the outskirts of the campgrounds and we were able to set up underneath a number of trees, givings us shade and some shelter from the rain. While setting up camp, I suddenly heard a growling, crunching sound that caused me to turn towards the woods behind us. The sound was that of a fallen tree. This was only the second time I’ve heard a dead tree fall. The tree was about 50 yards behind us and although it probably took 5 seconds or so for it to fall, it sounded as if it were in slow motion or falling down in sections. I walked out into the woods the following day to take a look at this tree. It was about 3 feet in diameter, no leaves, nearly hollow and probably had stood about 50 to 75 feet high. So I began to think about how interesting this event was to me. Here at one time, many many years ago, a small tree had taken root and began to grow, surrounded by other bigger trees it continued to grow, receive nutrients from the soil and almost dreaming of becoming big like some of the other trees around it. It learned to use the sun, soil and rain to gain strength. It looked up to the older trees and gained its botanical wisdom from them, only to one day stand tall and strong as they once did as the tree witnessed the older ones falling one by one to once again enrich the soil as nature demanded. Meanwhile, other smaller trees began sprouting up and looked up to this tree as an example of what they would like to be someday. The strong mighty tree helped provide shelter, shade and an example of what the young trees should strive to be. They looked up to him as children look up to their fathers. The young trees began to get stronger themselves and spread their branches out and towards the sky as if rejoicing “We did it!”, “We made it!”. The once young tree was becoming old now and just watched the young ones grow and prosper as he once did. He became weaker over the years and the weariness of standing up for so many years was getting more difficult to do. He was becoming older, while the other trees were in their young and vibrant years. The insides of the old tree were becoming softer and he didn’t blossom as many leaves as he used to. He became weaker and more tired. And then it happened! With a final few seconds of a crashing moan the old tree fell. It fell into the earth from which it grew and the other trees paused and then stood up strong almost as if they were saying farewell to the tree that inspired them, the tree that taught them, the tree that cared for them and unselfishly gave all of itself so that the young trees would grow up strong and able to stand on their own. His job was done. God had asked him to come and join him, for his work was complete and now he was forever to be a part of God’s Kingdom. The old fallen tree is a symbol of our lives and the passion and simplicity for which it stood is an example set for all of us to embrace. For as we pass on our knowledge and unselfishness on to our children’s children, we shall always be reminded of the wisdom, fortitude and compassion of the old fallen tree.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Jul 2013 13:06:45 +0000