The Giving Tree

We just got back from a week long road trip to visit my family in Maryland and North Carolina.

We make this trip ALOT.

But there was something very different when I pulled into my parents’ driveway this time.

The tree in the front yard was gone.

The tree was getting old and my parents were worried about the super large branches actually falling on the roof of the house so they had it removed.   Well, everything except the stump.

That’s getting picked up and taken away next week.

It reminded me of The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein which, IRONICALLY, Daniel got from his godmother as an early birthday gift.

I love that book.

I love trees.  I think it has to do with my love for old things and shade.  I love a big, old shady tree.

I’m not overly obsessive.  I wouldn’t protest and live in a tree.  But I MIGHT hug one.

My kids know how much I love trees.  We’ll be driving in the car and Daniel will point to trees all the time and say, “Mama, you like that one?  You like that tree?  You love trees, right Mama?”

I do love trees.

My dream is to have a birch tree in my front yard.  They are just so pretty.  I have the “Silver Birch Forest” screen saver photo on my laptop computer.

It makes me happy.

So it’s a little sad that the big old tree in the front yard of my childhood home is gone.  

But it makes sense.  It was a giving tree. 

It gave me and my brother and my sister some great memories.

And now it just gave one to my son.

Thanks, Tree.