A most unusual stateof affairs will prevail for the next week here at the homestead. I live in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I own eleven acres and built in the middle of it some 25 years ago. Half of the property is older deciduous trees, but the area of my home is mature pines.

The unfortunate thing about that is that mature pines are a "succession forest". That is a technical term that translates to "they fall over" to make way for the next stage. The last few years they have been doing that more and more and it has been getting quite dangerous.

So, for the last two days and for the next week, a gang of a half-dozen GOBs (Good Old Boys) wielding chainsaws and riding two dinosaurs, are removing four acres surrounding my home. Inside the house, my wife and I and six cats and dogs are holed up.

The constant noise is a big stressor, as you may imagine. What may not be obvious, however, is that the sharp crack - swish - crash of a big tree coming down is one of those hardwired things that sends a jolt of adrenaline through you no matter how many times you hear it. In the real world it denotes extreme danger to any creature within earshot.

So, I am hiding in a pair of earphones and trying to convince the dogs that there is no problem. Their response is "Are you nuts?!"

Fortunately, it is a good crew. Four generations with sixty years experience. This particular crew is led by the "baby" of the family who started 30 years ago at the age of seven. "Wimpy", as he is known of course, looks like a 300 pound bowling pin who just fell victim to an exploding cigar. While he might frighten you in an alley, in reality he speaks slowly and softly and has a sense of kindness about him. Wimpy is of the lower classes that society takes for granted but could not exist without. He will die young, if not from his work then from his ignorance of diabetes or heart disease. The work is incredibly dangerous and he clears about a hundred dollars a day. Life sux. In a sense, our entire society is hiding.

dear rev,
you live in moutain heaven on earth, so we must pray for inner peace,
the holiday I enjoyed as a child , was July 4th...
now I hide from Independence day - as it resembles war,
the war on my CNS!
shalom,

Beautifully written Rick. Makes me think of "the meek shall inherit the earth." And how we need to have dangerous trees brought down. Be careful.

paula

I loved your post and your compassionate understanding of the ones who keep the machinery of the world operating. In my forties, for the first time in my life I had a job that put me in daily contact with the working poor. Every stereortype I had ever held was shattered by their incredible work ethic, their good humor and their love of their families all while earning minimum wage.

The experience was the genesis of my outrage at the suggestion that these people are somehow looking for a hand out, that they could affort health insurance but they choose to have a bass boat. The people i worked with had to choose between insurance and rent or food for their children.

Thank you for recognizing their contribution and the risk they must daily live with.

Yes, very beautifully written and felt indeed. It's nice to know that in some folks illness and struggles do cultivate compassion...I pray daily that I can hope to be the same way...

I just wanted to thank you for sharing this. It was very touching. I have been a little emotional the last few days, and this brought on the tears. I think I was in need of a good cry!

Bless you Rick..I would have big ear-plug. Sharp or loud noises jolt my whole system and start a tremor even when I am feeling good. One of the things I appreciate about the little farm we bought in the country is gentle mooing of cows with new calves, the sound of wild turkeys in a nearby wooded area, and the two deer that visited me in my garden just at dark. They snorted (which alerted me for the first time that they were there) and then stomped and ran off..clearly displeased that someone was in their trail when they had normally had the whole place to themselves. People are supposed to be in houses...not in fields at night & they told me so! But, I hope we can enjoy each other & garden too. I love to see them. I am enjoying our new place so much.