And Then They Were Gone

Your weekly meditation: 

                                    

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” 

–Ecclesiastes 3:1

Two olive trees grew strong and proud in front of our first home. 

In fact, the entire street was lined with these beautiful trees, bringing charm to our neighborhood.

Our two trees grew as our family grew.

They were tall and strong when we first moved in as newlyweds.

And they were tall and strong as we brought home our first puppy.

They were there when our second puppy joined our family.

And they seemed even stronger and healthier when our first-born son entered our home.

Our blessings continued with the birth of our second precious son. And the trees seemed happier and healthier than ever.

These beautiful trees seemed to be watching over our blessed little family. Swaying in the breeze. Smiling down on us. Protecting us.

They provided shade from the hot sun while we played in front of the house and had our picnics. And they were a home to a family of the most beautiful hawks we had ever seen.

They were strong trees, remaining steadfast through the changes of the seasons and standing tall and strong through hurricanes and tropical storms.

And when we packed up our first house and moved to another one, I remember thinking how much I would miss those trees. I knew my boys would miss them too.

We have been in our current home for almost two years now. But still, I love driving down our old street, on the way to Flagler Drive to take a peek at our first house and the trees that gave us so many memories.

But my daily route past memory lane came to a halt a few weeks ago when the olive trees were no longer there. 

The trees had been chopped down.

There they were. Sitting in pieces in the street. Ready to be picked up by a garbage truck.

My heart sank.

Immediately, I called our old neighbor while I was driving.

“What happened to the trees?” I asked her.

“The new owner said he was tired of the mess they made,” she replied.

“What?” I asked in shock. “The trees weren’t sick?”

“No,” she said. “I’m sorry if this makes you sad.”

I got off the phone, pulled over immediately and cried my eyes out.

For those who know me well, I am a tree hugger. So it made me sick that anyone would chop down a tree because they were annoyed with it.

But, I couldn’t understand why I was crying uncontrollably about two trees. It seemed silly to me when I took a moment to think about it.

All of the sudden, I realized that, yes, I was crying about the fact that the trees were no longer there. But more than that, I was crying about change.

The fact of the matter is that I don’t like change. I never have and I probably never will. I grow too attached to memories and jobs and relationships that it is just too difficult to let go sometimes.

I realized that I was so upset because I had just made one of the biggest decisions of my life to leave a job that I dearly loved and gave my heart, soul and blood, sweat and tears to for the last five years.

I was giving it up to return to the classroom to teach, which was a profession I loved. But was I really ready to do this again when I had three young boys to raise?

While I truly believed that God’s hands played a major role in this next chapter of our lives, I found that I was scared.

“What have I done?” I asked myself that day...

Three weeks after that very sad day, I am at the beginning of my third week back in the classroom.

And now, I can tell you what I have done. 

No. I will tell you what He has done.

God has opened a door for me – a door to one of the most amazing working environments I could have asked for. 

He has introduced me to some of the kindest, most caring people I have ever met.

He has introduced me to people that I know will be my lifelong friends.

He has introduced me to children who want to learn and who want to join me in my passion for writing.

And He has opened a door for my own children, giving them a loving, nurturing and Christian environment in which to play and learn every day.

Change is difficult for everyone.

It is not and has not been easy for me (My first day back at church this Sunday, as just a member of the congregation and not the director of children’s ministry, was extremely difficult).

But I know in my heart that had I not followed God’s calling, I never would have known the opportunities that lie ahead or the people that will surely become a part of my family forever.

So, to you - my faithful reader – when you are having a difficult time letting go of something or someone, remember this - “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.”

I will be praying for you. Please continue to pray for me.