A holiday narrative
To the editor:
A couple of decades ago, when living in Lecanto, Florida, I had just completed the task of planting several dozen trees on my large lot surrounding my new home. Having completed this task a few months prior to the winter holiday season, I was sitting on my patio having a cup of coffee while reading and discarding various and sundry pieces of junk mail, while reviewing the success of this transplanting task. I recall the afternoon as though it happened yesterday. It was a warm, sunny day with only a whisper of a breeze. A very enjoyable day. I would like to share with you some of the thoughts crossing my mind as I was planting those trees, thoughts of a positive nature. All the trees are well established and thriving.
Working alone and uninterrupted allowed me time to do some very productive thinking. Unusual, not peculiar thoughts. Nothing very glamorous about digging several dozen holes in the ground, right? Wrong! I elected to turn this into a very exciting adventure. Each and every hole excavated was the potential location of the famous “Philosophers Stone!” This is an imaginary stone (or substance) capable of transmuting the lesser metals into gold. The alchemists of the Middle Ages searched unsuccessfully for this stone for several hundred years. It was an easy task to convince myself of the fact it was probably located in my very own back yard! Aha! Furthermore, I had fully intended to send each and every one of you a small piece of it as a holiday gift!!!
While digging these many holes, some very ordinary, but different, objects were unearthed. Items such a beer can, a short length of p.v.c. pipe, a “smiling” golf ball, several pieces of glass, a small chunk of concrete and asphalt, an unidentifiable 8″ long bone, tree roots, etc. It seemed as though I dug up everything except the kitchen sink, and of course, the very elusive “Philosophers Stone.”
As I relaxed on the patio and admired the selection and placement of my trees, a flash of genius occurred to me. I did, in fact, give everyone a pretty large gift. Decades hence, many people will enjoy the shade provided by these trees. Also, countless birds and insects will seek shelter and produce entire families in these trees. I can visualize squirrels and bird nests in them. Let’s not overlook the largest benefit. The entire human race will have just a little more pure oxygen to breathe. Wow!! Not such an insignificant gift, after all.
These thoughts give me a lot of personal satisfaction. Although I did not realize it at the time, I was not merely planting sycamores, oaks, red cedars, maples, chinaberrys, and golden raintrees. I was really planting “altruistic trees.” WOW, again!! This thought overwhelms me. I cannot help wondering if our every act, no matter the size, does not have some long lasting and significant effect, in some small way, on others.
Before you place, or toss, this little story in the round file, seriously consider the content of it. It is my hope, this short, but true, story of mine will inspire some of you to get out your “mental shovels” and plant a few “altruistic trees” for others this holiday season. If not, as least consider it with a smile. Either way, you will feel better, Reflecting upon the entire tree planting experience, I can’t help wondering if I did, in fact, really find the elusive and famous “Philosophers Stone.” It was, after all, a truly golden experience.
Robert E. Workman
Cape Coral