Arts & Humanities

Please tell me what you think of what a friend sent me today

Arts & Humanities

Posted by: paradox

29th Nov 2011 07:48pm

I think we all should take the following to heart.

We all Need a Tree!

I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, and after he had just finished a rough first day on the job: a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit and his ancient one ton truck refused to start.

While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited 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 branches with both hands.

When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation.. His face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

'Oh, that's my trouble tree,' he replied 'I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, those troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children.. So I just hang them
up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning I pick them up again.' 'Funny thing is,' he smiled,' when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.'



Comments 11

speki
  • 29th Mar 2013 05:59am

He loves his family and leaves his problems at work in a sense. the tree idea helps him to undergo a transformation he is gentle and blessed at heart in which he holds his most precious ones and thoughts close too.

dave
  • 8th Apr 2012 11:01pm

funny ha ha ha

Amanda
  • 3rd Apr 2012 10:06pm

Wow that is a very touching story, thank you for sharing that :) I think there is something big we can learn here. We are creatures of habit, if we get into the habit of coming home and asking each other how our days were instead of just venting off steam, I think it would become habit. I think if we were able to do the same coming into the work place as well as going home (starting with a clear slate without any troubles) the world would be a better place.

Hilary
  • 19th Feb 2012 12:51pm

Having a 'tree' to hang the troubles on may give a chance to enjoy time with loved ones with out worries being in the foreground. Sometimes standing back from a problem can give you a different perspective on it.

Anonymous
  • 18th Feb 2012 11:15pm

This would be so lovely if this could actually happen. I know I would love to be able to forget my troubles until I left my house the next day.

trix56
  • 8th Dec 2011 10:46pm

What the hell! Generic or not. Me thinks I could do with one of dem trees!

sherri
  • 3rd Dec 2011 09:13am

It would be lovely if we all could ‘take this to heart’ – unfortunately I would not be the only one who gets so bored and frustrated with the wordy, sentimental smaltz of this kind of statement that they have ‘turned off’ by the time they get to the punch line.

I get frustrated because you are right, - we DO need a ‘Tree’ - but the email that you were sent is not new (been around at least 5 years that I am aware of…and maybe many years before that even), and I did not ‘buy’ the ‘I hired a plumber ‘line the FIRST time I read this all those years ago.

(My well meaning friend had NOT hired a plumber, had never owned a farmhouse, and it is totally implausible that said plumber would invite anyone to meet his/her family on such a flimsy basis) – so I was totally set up to reject the only plausible statement by the time that I finally got there.

Yes, I am a hard-nosed cynic, and I am sorry to have ‘rained on your parade’, because you managed to ignore all the … (insert word of choice) … and so found the hidden gem. I am sure that other people are 'wired differently' and would be charmed by this story (on the first reading anyway)

sherri
  • 11th Dec 2011 11:29am
You see sherri you are not that cynical after-all?????

no - just frustrated that the truth of that story was hijacked by the format!

paradox
  • 3rd Dec 2011 11:14am
Then that's the point eh? - a timely word given at an opportune time. - and that IS something to celebrate. And in that circumstance I think I would have paid attention to that email...

You see sherri you are not that cynical after-all?????

sherri
  • 3rd Dec 2011 11:11am
Hi sherri, thanks for taking the trouble to answer. I did ask for your opinion and I am sorry that you are a bit of a cynic when it comes to these sorts of emails. I usually take not much notice...

Then that's the point eh? - a timely word given at an opportune time. - and that IS something to celebrate. And in that circumstance I think I would have paid attention to that email too

But perhaps that underlines my point too...that email was meant for you - personally - for all that it was generic.

Serendipity at work!

paradox
  • 3rd Dec 2011 11:04am
It would be lovely if we all could ‘take this to heart’ – unfortunately I would not be the only one who gets so bored and frustrated with the wordy, sentimental smaltz of this kind of statement...

Hi sherri, thanks for taking the trouble to answer. I did ask for your opinion and I am sorry that you are a bit of a cynic when it comes to these sorts of emails. I usually take not much notice of them either, its just that my 12 year old grand daughter had a few days earlier commented on on my grumpy disposition when something had gone wrong during the day. So from now on my tree is going to be the brick column at the entrance door and I hope to not disappoint my grand daughter again. Cheers and have a merry Christmas.

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