So . . . I chopped down the tree

(Hang on, I’m going somewhere with this)

I have 3 beautiful 25’ Blue Spruce trees in my front lawn planted in a semi circle.

They provide shade and a little dimension to my landscape. But, there was a problem. I also had a 40’ Walnut tree growing at an awful angle. It shot out from the trio of evergreens like somebody trying to haul deck lumber in a Ford focus. When I first moved into my home 6 months ago I noted how ugly it was, but I also noted that it was incredibly tall and dangerously close to the power lines so . . . I left the tree alone. I noticed continually how diminished the growth of the evergreens seemed to be due to how many nutrients the Walnut tree takes from the soil, but I don’t have a chain saw so . . . I left the tree alone. I twisted my ankles several times on several walnuts while mowing, but all I had was a short axe with a cracked handle and a dull head. My grinder is worthless so . . . I left the tree alone.   

Then last Saturday rolled around, and I needed to mow the lawn, and I was doing fine until I twisted my ankle on another stinkin’ walnut. I stepped back and took a look at my spruce trees. They looked so pretty, but so thin and undernourished. I looked at my landscape and imagined it with no Walnut tree. I looked at the power lines and thought, “I think I could swing that.” So . . . I decided to chop down that tree. I walked down to my yard shed and retrieved that old axe I found in an abandoned garage. I ran my thumb across the blade edge and thought to myself, “Sharp as a marble”, and I almost decided to wait until I got a new axe, a better grinder, or a chainsaw. I shook off the hesitation and dug deep for a little resolve. Axe in hand I walked over to that eyesore and hit it with all my strength half expecting the dull axe to bounce back and half expecting the cracked axe handle to break. Neither happened and I had created a small notch. It took me about 30 min of sweat and determined tree chopping, and got a few blisters, but that tree is gone! My lawn has never looked as good and I think I have the last of the walnuts out of the grass.

All that to say this; the road to a better life isn’t convenient. None of us has the proper tools to tackle this mess we find ourselves in. Dig down deep; grab two fistfuls of resolve and American grit, and let’s fix this. Sure, it’s hard work, and we’ll probably come out with some wounds, but if we don’t like our landscape . . . who else are we going to blame? Chop down a tree. You’ll like the way you feel; I guarantee it.