The True Meaning of Life

The true meaning of life is to plant trees

under which we do not expect to sit.

~Nelson Henderson

>Of Note: Two summers ago, I was immersed in planting trees in a field out back. It was hard work digging throught the sod, clearing the old grass and making way for the new trees. That whole summer was spent watering the 80 trees. I'd make the rounds twice a day, every day all summer. As a thanks for all the effort, half of the pines died from a destructive bark beetle which took the trees down in no order at all. One by one the tractor would pull up the dead plants. Eventually, a tall morgue of spruce cornered one section of the field. Not being deterred, I planted more this past summer in the vacant holes. Someone asked me why bother? Mr. Henderson had the answer. In my imagination, I could see these pines forty, fifty, sixty feet tall someday--the backbone of a forest where the field currently sits. I understand that no one will know or care who planted them. But they will be enjoyed by our collective children, we can count on that.

>Today's Weather Report: Sunny and cloudy all at the same time. What that means is that it's sunny out one window and cloudy out another. Snow is forecast for the day, though I don't see it at this moment. Meterorologists are pretty good these days, so it's out there somewhere for sure. It's at times like this that I'm glad we purchased that new-to-us snowplow in September. No more old-timer snowplow that worked only went it had a mind to. Hurrah!

>Watch For Change Snippit: Speaking of children, many books are being written about the current generation of young adults. They are spoken of as spoiled and words akin to that. Guess this "new way" is causing headaches for employers who aren't accustomed to employees who think of themselves first--and want a life outside the job. 75% of these young adults voted for Barack Obama. My guess is that everything will be fine. It's just a change and most likely a part of the inevitable evolutionary process--both individually and as a group. Another cohort of youngsters called "piggy-bank entrepreneurs" are making a name for themselves as well. They have gone beyond protesting which was big in my generation and are using their brains to accomplish their global goals. For example, one teenager organized an effort to get bednets to Africa. She will have saved more folks with her efforts than many doctors will in a lifetime, says the newspaper.