My neighbor had her silver maple tree trimmed by a professional tree trimming company this week. The tree had grown so much that it spread over the roof of her house, and it had lots of dead limbs. They created a potential safety hazard in case of fire or other traumatic event.
Her trimmed tree looks quite beautiful now. Its "haircut" makes it point majestically to the sky. Trees, like people's hair, need to be trimmed every now and then to help them look and feel more comfortable and healthier.
I sometimes wonder if trees could talk what they might say if they knew they were going to be trimmed. "No, thanks. I'll pass. I like my branches just the way they are." "A trimming!? That could kill me! Don't do it!!" "If you cut some of my branches off, I'll be the laughing stock of the neighborhood. What are you trying to do? Humiliate me?"
On the other hand, trees might want to thank us, if they could, for helping them gain a leaner, healthier, more distinguished look.
Do you remember the time you or any of your children got their first haircut? It may have been a scary time, especially if the person getting the haircut was a little child. Will it hurt? Will I die when my hair is being cut? I want to keep my hair, all of it, now and forever! Don't make me sit in that strange chair!!
If trees can feel scared or apprehensive or upset, my neighbor's tree might have felt a little traumatized. When we as humans are faced with a new experience, we might feel scared, apprehensive or upset too.
It's in talking with other people who have gone through a similar experience that we discover it's probably a good thing. Or maybe we read about the procedure in a book or ask the professionals doing it how they're going to carry it out.
Perhaps trees have a way of reassuring each other when faced with a new or challenging experience. If so, I hope my neighbor's silver maple received comforting reassurance that all would be well. It looks quite elegant and beautiful after its trim.