THE TROUBLE TREE
The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a
rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his
electric saw quit, and now his ancient pickup 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. 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’s for sure, troubles don’t belong in the house with
my wife and the
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