Tree Truth

Behold, the squirrel highway...

I like trees.  Did you know that yet?  

It isn’t uncommon for my family to be travelling in the car and for me to start screaming in delight as we pass a tree that is in some way fabulous.  They make me really happy.  Which is why, I never gave a second thought to the large tree that had become a squirrel highway behind my back yard.  I enjoyed the way the critters used it as a thoroughfare to get from my yard to the next.  I didn’t mind its precarious angle, it gave visual interest to my normal yet awesome back yard view.  That was until the last windstorm.   

The morning after the blustery event found me drinking a cup of tea while starting off in the distance.  Over the course of the morning, I noticed a few of my squirrel friends misjudging their launch onto the squirrel highway.  The usual grace with which they leapt onto the tree seemed sadly lacking.  As if they were expecting to run and land but instead fell a fraction of a second longer than expected.  There was more scrabbling than I remembered.  

Being a scientist at heart, I began theorizing.  Option A:  The squirrels were involved in a game of truth or dare and were making the jump to the fallen tree with their eyes closed.  Not outside the realm of possibility but unlikely considering their respect for workplace safety.  Option B:  The squirrels had been drinking during the storm and were still tipsy thus their balance was affected.  I thought this less likely as it was before noon.  All obvious possibilities eliminated I ventured outside.  One look up revealed the storm had caused a shift in the trees’ position.  It had slid slightly during the storm and the angle of its descent had increased.  It was a bit worrisome to be sure.  

All this explains how I met my lovely tree owning neighbor, who immediately saw the need for action.  Which was how, this weekend, I watched a tree crew take down the monster tree with winches and ropes and chainsaws, oh my.  

It was amazing.

Watching anyone perform a skill with mastery is a treat.  Doesn’t matter if it is making tortillas, cleaning windows, or scooping ice cream, there is a fascination involved in watching someone perform a task with excellence.   Watching these logger dudes was a brilliant example of taking a large job and breaking it into smaller tasks.  Have you ever had a large problem my friend?  The kind you can’t get your arms or mind around, that makes you wonder, “What am I supposed to do next?”  How I wish you could have watched these guys take down my neighbor’s tree my friend, it was such a life lesson.  

The first noticeable characteristic of the crew was the amount of communication between members.  After talking their way through the entire procedure, the team would stop continually to check in with its members after each step.  They would offer suggestions and get direction and their conversation was always focused on the step in front of them.  A difficult maneuver was worked out two steps in advance, but always included turning off the chainsaws after the completion of each task to ensure everyone was in agreement. 

Have you surrounded yourself with counsel as you attempt to tackle the mountains in front of you my friend?  A woman I deeply admire shared with me one day, how she had managed to keep her husbands’ business running as she lost him to cancer.  “I ran all the business decisions through 3 people I asked to stand beside me during his illness,” she told me.  “I was completely consumed by grief, I knew I needed people to walk alongside me to check my thinking, if we weren’t in agreement, I didn’t proceed.”  Perhaps your circumstance is not as devastating as that of my friend, but are you making use of those who are not as emotionally invested as yourself? Are you getting any input other than your own?  

A second quality of the team was the way they remained flexible as they worked through their task.  Once or twice a problem arose and it seemed progress was at a standstill.  Inevitably, as it was discussed and answer would appear.  The leader of the team was not wed to his own ideas, he was willing to allow others to take responsibility for the next step if it kept everyone safe and met the goal.  In one case the leader put forth a suggestion and started to enact it, but then changed his mind and asked his team member to take over due to an unexpected shift in the trees weight.  He was willing to concede his idea was not as safe as his crew members’ and reworked the plan though it meant relinquishing control of the circumstance.  It is my observation that I do my best work when I keep my goal in mind, rather than my role.  I am more open to suggestions and more willing to work with others when I keep the overall aim in sight.  

The last thing I noticed about the crew was their desire to execute each step with excellence and how happy there were upon completion of a task.  Words of encouragement flowed freely and they seemed genuinely thankful when a small step went right.  I expect this has something to do with the high cost of mistakes when gravity is involved but it was interesting to watch a group of pagans behave in such a ridiculously positive manner.  I’m involved in tasks far more menial each week and I don’t think I’m near as positive with my team.  I roll my eyes a lot and am far more amazed when things go right than I am thankful.  I expect if I reinvest my energies in thankfulness I will gain more than I will for eye rolling, I need to remember that in the moment.  

And so I’m praying for us this week my friend, as we tackle the problems in front of us.  That we will be thankful, teachable, sober minded and that keep our eyes open on the goal.  That the dangerous slippery places will be brought low, as we trample them under our feet.

Thanking God for you,
xox Karen