Pine Tree

When I was a boy I referred to this tree as PT; the year was 1962. I took this picture of PT on October 27, 2004. There used to be a fence in front of the tree, and the grass was once the infield of some good old Georgia red clay.


It was on this field that my sixth grade teacher would give us a nickel for hitting a home run, and it was also where I hit my good friend Chester twice with a wild pitch in little league.


For years there was no encroaching development, but all things change with the passing of time. Whenever I visited family living in south Florida, I would run by to see how PT was doing. He wasn't the last living connection to my past still on the elementary school property; there were the big oaks close to the school building.


Though he wasn't majestic looking as the oaks, I preferred PT because he was rooted in the playground area, and the oaks were rooted closer to school work! PT reminded me of the fun times; the oaks looked like part of the institution of education - all work and no play. PT was the only surviving pine on the property; we had history.


When I first came across PT, he seemed lonely with his arms outstretched as if he was always looking for a hug. PT saw all of my softball and baseball games played there and all of my after school football games during my teenage years.


At a very early age I have always had a passion toward trees. I enjoyed sitting under the shade of some tree with my back resting against the trunk, listening to the wind caress their leaves. Each kind of tree gave forth a different sound in the wind. Some were noisy while others, like PT, were merely whispers. I didn't derive much pleasure out of PT in that regard; he was a runt, not much for shade and not much for catching anything but mourning doves. His diminutive stature was what probably played an important role in contributing to his long life with all the climatological challenges of living in Florida.


When I laid eyes on PT back on October of 2004, I thought to myself, "PT, you haven't changed a bit, old friend!" After patting his trunk, I stepped back and stood with my arms and legs spread like the letter X, and said, "PT, what do you think?" I quickly took hold of my senses and looked around to see if anybody was watching me. I was just having an arbor moment.


After taking this picture of PT, a couple of years passed, and I was able to swing by and see my old friend. It was in 2007 that I discovered that PT was gone. He had survived hurricanes, lightning, all kinds of adverse weather, and kids by the hundreds, if not thousands, and an endless pelting of foul balls. What ended his life was simply being in the way; PT had to make way for a small circular driveway connecting the two adjoining roads right angled to each other. It just didn't seem fitting to go out like that being 60 plus years or more!


It was a sad moment for me because it was like saying goodbye to a lifetime friend after he had died. While others may have seen him as an ugly pine standing in the way of progress, I looked at PT with a degree of admiration. His limbs never grew weary reaching out to people in all of those years , almost cross-like. And now he was gone forever. Read what the psalmist had to say about creation, particularly the trees.


Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all its fullness; Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the LORD. For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness. And the peoples with His truth (Psalm 96:11-13).


The psalmist is saying that all of creation, the heavens, the earth, the sea, the field, and the trees will rejoice when righteousness reigns on the earth. Judgment is coming! When the day of redemption comes, the curse is replaced by blessing. Then the earth will no longer groan (see Romans 8:21-22). Then nature will sing aloud! All of Creation will flourish!


This isn't another tree-hugger story; it's about a make believe friend that just so happened to be a pine tree. Neither is this a plug for animism. All of us have, however, personified animals, other living things, and inanimate objects (Be honest now; you have talked to your personifications, too, haven't you?). Christians know that only human beings have a soul. I'll spare you the story about my pet rock.


The psalmist personified creation as did the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. So personifying something is not wrong, per se, as long as it maintains a biblical perspective. Everything will be so much better once the curse is lifted. But understand that all of creation groans and moans as a woman giving birth; but once delivered all is joy, the crying is replaced by rejoicing; women understand this better than men. We are to be good stewards of God's creation until all is redeemed and set right by Jesus Christ, the righteous Judge, until then, PT, until then. <><