Felling the Tree

We decided to replace the fence around our yard and it required removing a very large juniper tree that was growing on the property line. My ambitious husband decided to put the chain saw to good use and enlisted the help of our strapping son.

They decided that to avoid damage to surrounding trees and structures, the tree should be felled in two or three sections. A rope above the cut helped to guide the top third of the tree and we cheered as it fell down.

The second section was so much wider, it damaged the attic vent on the side of the neighbor's house as it fell and landed square on the top of my little apricot tree, severing the trunk about a foot from the ground. After a moment of sadness, I acknowledged it as unavoidable collateral damage. After all, "good fences make good neighbors." Right?

We will help the neighbors repair what looks like a "black eye" on the side of their house but it will take longer to replace the apricot tree.

I found myself thinking of analogies between the experience with our tree and the recent hoopla about approaches to illegal immigration.

Those who are calling for a heavy-handed crackdown on immigration probably are not concerned about the damage to relations with our nation's neighbors. I believe we must do acknowledge the risks, and be prepared for the damage.

The greater loss will be similar to the loss of my apricot tree. It will be a long time before I enjoy the cheerful spring blossoms and sweet fruit it provided. We as a nation likely lose something cheerful and sweet when families are divided and uprooted. I wonder if there is a way to approach the problem without this collateral damage.

I have always felt that there were a million solutions for any one problem. I am not satisfied that our only options are following the lead of Arizona or settling for the status quo. I hope that those who are "revving the chainsaw" for state legislation regarding immigration, will study the path of its fall, including all its branches, before digging into that tree.