Trey Smith
I am facing a bit of a dilemma. During our latest storm, the wax myrtle we planted in our front garden was toppled. The trunk looks like it was sawed off and only two roots are left firmly in the ground.
When I discovered it had fallen yesterday morning, my first thought was to try to save it. I moved it back to an upright position and packed dirt and leaves at its base. I then drove a stake deep into the ground just behind it and, using some rope, I tied the tree to the stake. My thinking here is that, since two strong roots are still firmly in the soil, maybe the plant could re-establish itself.
Another storm -- as fierce as the last one -- is due later today. Part of me wants to get a second stake in the ground to provide greater stability. Another part of me, however, thinks I should allow this little tree to live or die on its own. Put another way, I should allow the forces of yin and yang to do their thing.
If the tree is able to survive and re-establish itself, all is well. If the tree succumbs to the storm, all is well too. Whether it lives or dies, it will provide. If it lives on, it will provide nutrients to the soil and shade for other plants and critters. If it dies, it will decompose and provide the necessary elements for new life.
Of course, I may try to do everything possible to save it and yet the little tree may not make it anyway or I could leave it be and, despite today's storm and the previous injury, it could end up flourishing.
Hmmm.
When I discovered it had fallen yesterday morning, my first thought was to try to save it. I moved it back to an upright position and packed dirt and leaves at its base. I then drove a stake deep into the ground just behind it and, using some rope, I tied the tree to the stake. My thinking here is that, since two strong roots are still firmly in the soil, maybe the plant could re-establish itself.
Another storm -- as fierce as the last one -- is due later today. Part of me wants to get a second stake in the ground to provide greater stability. Another part of me, however, thinks I should allow this little tree to live or die on its own. Put another way, I should allow the forces of yin and yang to do their thing.
If the tree is able to survive and re-establish itself, all is well. If the tree succumbs to the storm, all is well too. Whether it lives or dies, it will provide. If it lives on, it will provide nutrients to the soil and shade for other plants and critters. If it dies, it will decompose and provide the necessary elements for new life.
Of course, I may try to do everything possible to save it and yet the little tree may not make it anyway or I could leave it be and, despite today's storm and the previous injury, it could end up flourishing.
Hmmm.
You planted the tree; I think you should take responsibility for it. If it were a dog you had rescued and was lost in the storm, wouldn't you go out to find it? You already intervened by planting it; you should nurture it.
ReplyDeleteQue sera, sera, what ever will tree will tree, the futures not ours to see que sera, que sera.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't take "wu wei" to mean literally doing nothing. Yeah, try to save the tree if you can, but do it without any expectation of saving or not saving. Even without the storm it may not make it, and it will die someday. But you said your first instinct was to save it. Let's not muddy the waters with all this thinking about it.
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