When a Tree Falls

On Monday, my neighbor across the street cut down the 20’ foot tree that was in his front yard. I’m not sure what type of tree it was, but I do remember over 15 years ago when it was planted by the previous home owners and only 7 feet tall.

One day before the young sapling went up I was talking with the husband. The couple had been struggling financially and he landed a job as a bouncer at a nearby strip club. He opened up and told me that his wife didn’t like him working there. I told him that it was a normal thing for a wife not to be thrilled with their husband working around a bunch of naked women. I suggested for his marriages sake to find another place to work, which he did. That’s when the small tree went up as a symbol of their new love and commitment to each other.

I’m not sure why or how things fell apart after that, but they did. They divorced, lost the house and like so many today, their kids found themselves in a divided home. As the tree fell I couldn’t help but remember them. I remembered their struggles, their hope, the kids and the loss.

On another note; a close friend of mine lost her father tonight, or as she wrote in her text, “My daddy is gone.” His health had been failing and today the battle ended and he fought no more. I have found that no matter how much time you have to prepare yourself or see the inevitable on the horizon for something like this, there is just no stopping the hurt, sorrow or loss.

David wrote in Psalm 56

You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.

I hope some comfort can be found in the knowledge that God not only sees, but cares. That no matter who we are, where we are, or what happens, that someone is there to remember when a tree falls.