The Trouble Tree
A carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse has just finished a rough day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit and now his ancient 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 tanned 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, so 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 for sure, troubles don't belong at home with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again.' 'Funny thing is,' he smiled, 'when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.’
MORAL: We should all create our own symbolic ‘Trouble Tree’ so we can leave our problems outside the door instead of carrying them inside. All we have to do is get into the habit. Whether you take a minute to practice some deep breathing, handle a stone, or reach out to a tree, there’s something we can do to keep from carrying our troubles inside our comfort zone.