Maple Tree. The story.
I don’t suppose that it’s a foregone conclusion that everyone will have to deal with age related maladies as they mature, but I suspect most folks do. I’m no exception although, I admit that in my younger days I shortsightedly smirked - inwardly of course - at my older peers who’s conversations tended to revolve around their most recent maladies and medications. I always made a mental note that I would never do that.
Oops………
Lest you begin to get the impression that this writing is no more than another in the long line of boring discourses on the complications of aging, let me move quickly to more fertile territory.
That being a very unexpected pleasure that could only be realized with advancing age.
Let me paint the picture:
When I was a child, my mothers folks lived in a nice house on a pleasant residential street in Mentor Ohio. Grandpa and Grandma had the house built in the 1940’s and thats where my mom and her siblings grew up. By the time I came along in the late 1950’s, it was a well established neighborhood. Most of the folks had been there for years, and as a kid my perception was that it was generally a great place to live.
I did get knocked off my bicycle once by several neighborhood bullies. It scared me a bit at the time, but left no emotional scars that I’m aware of. Just a part of growing up.
The point is, it was a pretty nice place to be.
Most of the neighborhood was well manicured. That was a time when folks generally cared for their own place and took pride in it. Those were the days of reel mowers. I’m sure that some had gasoline engines, but I remember seeing grandpa cutting the lawn with a simple conventional unpowered one.
I also remember “helicopter” cleanup.
The tree lawns along Case Avenue were lined with Maple trees. I don’t know for sure but I think the primary species was Silver Maple. Probably a mix though. I seem to recall raking, piling and burning taking place in both the spring and fall. Maybe it was Helicopters in the spring and leaves in the fall. Not sure, but I just remember that when the helicopters came along - they were everywhere! Any that managed to make it through the grass and contact the soil tended to sprout and the next thing you knew you had seedlings trying to take over and outgrow the grass, particularly in the tree lawn.
Everyone raked the helicopters from their lawns, cleaned the gutters and piled them all out front and burned them. All along the street when season was in full swing, there would be smoldering fires of helicopter seeds, leaves and various tree debris. The piles tended to get moved around the tree lawns to kill off the growth.
One year around this time when I was probably about six or seven years old I wanted to take one of those little seedlings and plant it in my yard. Save it from annihilation so to speak!Grandma instructed me to carefully dig one up preserving all the roots and a little soil with them. She went inside and retrieved a paper Dixie cup and we carefully “potted” my little seedling. I took it home where Dad and I chose a spot that was suitable to plant it. Far enough from the house to hopefully avoid the gutter clogging mess if it somehow managed to survive to maturity. The first couple years it was there we inadvertently mowed over it, but survive it did!
As is often the case, things that inspire a youngster are frequently forgotten as interests change with age. Periodically as a teen I’d look out back and see a hearty maple growing and remember that I planted it, but it held little sentimental value or interest at the time.
My folks moved away from that house in 1996. That’s the last time I saw my maple or stopped by the neighborhood.
Fast forward to July 2023. 27 years.
We had retired earlier in the year. For the first time in my adult life I could go about traveling in a leisurely fashion. What an incredible luxury! I finally had the opportunity to consider activities beyond the carefully orchestrated constraints of a customary vacation.
I’m a simple man. The things that interest me most are family, old friends, campfires, music, to name a few. I’ve recently become intrigued by the early things in life that shaped and influenced the man I have become. My old neighborhood. Our family home.
The tree I planted.
Of the half dozen or so families that originally resided in my neighborhood, only one remained.
My folks still maintained contact so I was able to get their info and arrange a visit.
The day arrived and my brother joined me. We had a marvelous time reminiscing, laughing about old events and catching up on family news. Later in the visit, our hosts had arranged for me to see my tree.
It was magnificent!
I can’t begin to describe the emotions and the flood of memories. Thinking about that tiny seedling verses the massive tree it had become. The girth of its trunk is probably 4 times my own! All the years that had sped past.
I saw a large broken branch part way up. I had to wonder about all the storms it weathered. The winds that tried in vain to uproot it. I couldn’t help but make comparisons between its life and my own and how they’ve intersected. In spite of headwinds, we both thrived!
Perhaps this story seems silly or a bit overly sentimental to you. Maybe in truth it is. But to me that tree represents something I did that will most likely endure well beyond my days. Perhaps by centuries. Sure, no one a hundred years from now will know that I planted it or even care, but unless someone cuts it down it remains as a testament.
I realized that this experience could only be attained by virtue of advancing years. While we may be destined to endure various age related maladies, there are also some beautiful revelations. Now that I’m aware of their existence, I intend to actively seek them out!
I hope there are other things about my having lived that remain. My faith in Jesus that I’ve attempted to share with my children and others. Possibly a memory or two about some positive thing I achieved or funny thing I did that will get passed along to my great grandkids.
Maybe someday they’ll stop by that little house on Auburn Rd and see the huge Maple tree great grandpa planted!
Final note -
Of all the songs I’ve written and recorded, my favorite is “Maple Tree.”
You can hear it at: brianandsara.net “Brian’s tunes” or on YouTube at:
https://youtu.be/3gGK2cfolss
Copy and paste the link in your browser.
