When the Bough Breaks ...

 

"A tree does not move unless there is wind."

-  Afghan Proverb 

Our Golden Retriever, Hannah, was rescused from the deadly April 2011 tornadoes in Alabama, so her senses are heightened as the wind blows today outside our door.  She stays closely by my side, never taking her eyes away from me seeking assurance that all will be well.  High wind warnings seem to be everywhere, blowing across numerous states and creating damage as it goes. 

As I sit writing by the window in the den, I catch movement out of the corner of my eye, glimpsing a 20 foot tree falling against our home.  The uprooting was not as loud as one might expect, nor the impact against the house, but Hannah's howling was greater than the wind's.

After assessing the back yard, I am immediately grateful and thankful for no other damage than to the gutters.  I make a phone call and help immediately is on the way.  In a few days, the fallen tree will be cut into sections and then hauled away.  I feel a tremendous
sense of loss. 

This very tree protected my bird feeders and greeted me every morning from my window.  The song birds gathered in the out stretched boughs and the leaves provided shade to our home from too much sun. 

This lovely tree was a constant presence in my daily life and I will sincerely miss it.  Another tree can be planted in the empty space, but the heart of this giving tree can never be replaced.