The Tree

EVERYONE NEEDS A TREE LIKE THIS ONE

I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, and afterhe had just finished a rough first day on the job: a flat tire made himlose an hour of work, his electric drill quit and his ancient one tontruck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, heinvited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door,he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the brancheswith both hands. When opening the door he underwent an amazingtransformation...His face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his twosmall children and gave his wife a kiss. Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and mycuriosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him doearlier. "Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied "I know Ican't helphaving troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, those troublesdon' t belong in the house with my wife and the children.. So I justhang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God totake care of them. Then in the morning I pick them up again." "Funnything is," he smiled," when I come out in the morning to pick 'emup there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the nightbefore."