My Musings About Trees and Leaves

When we were looking for a home in the Kansas City area last Spring, one of the things we wanted was trees on our property.  We told the Realtor, “Don’t even show us anything that doesn’t have trees.”  And we were blessed to find a home that we liked in Lee’s Summit that has trees.  Lots of trees.

The other day I was mowing  the yard and ranking leaves.   Norma Jean came out and commented about the amount of leaves as she surveyed my freshly mowed yard being sprinkling with more falling leaves.   I chuckled, looked at her and said, “Well, if you’re gonna have trees, you’ve gotta rake leaves.”  Pretty profound, eh?

But my real point was this. There is a trade-off.  If you don’t like having lots of leaves, don’t buy a house with lots of trees.   If you are going to enjoy the trees as they come alive in the Spring to the gorgeous colors of Fall, it comes with a price.  Both in effort and in dollars.  In fact, as I raked, I wondered what it’s going to cost when I have hire a tree trimmer?  But that’s part of it.

While Norma Jean was away I was doing more raking on Saturday and I thought about that day and our conversation. I mused how this is a metaphor for life.

Blessings bring responsibility.  Benefits demand duty. Because there’s no real enjoyment without some work.   And there a sowing and reaping principle involved here as well.

Too often, however, folks  in our society want reward without work.  Blessings without responsibility.  Enjoyment without effort.  It reminds me of the words of John D. Rockefeller who opined, “I believe that every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity an obligation; every possession, a duty.”

I’ve noticed that it’s more enjoyable to sit under the shade of the tree than to trim the tree.  It’s more relaxing to sit on the deck drinking a cup of coffee and admiring the beauty of the leaves, than it is to rake them.

The Preacher in Ecclesiastes enjoyed everything life had to offer. He built his dream house.  In fact, more than one. He planted vineyards and gardens and orchards.  He had fruit trees and fountains of water.  He could look out over his pastures and see the flocks and the herds grazing.  He had every pleasure imaginable.  And then he asked, “What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?   His answer? 

I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor — it is the gift of God. (Eccl 3:12-13)

Aside from spiritual considerations, strictly in terms of enjoying “life under sun,” of doing good, rejoicing, and eating and drinking, it’s all the result of our labor.  He calls it “the fruit of our labor.”  In fact, it is God’s gift.  Embrace it.

Thomas Fuller put it this way, “He that would have the fruit must climb the tree.” Or in the words of The Preacherman, “If you’re gonna have trees, then you gotta rake leaves.”

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman