Do you know people who are always happy? People who seem to flow along unaffected by the trials that must surely be swirling around them? I think I know how they do it. Instead of going through the day counting all the bummers, they choose to see the blessings instead. Recently I had an experience that reminded me  its possible to be content even when your circumstances encourage otherwise.

Years ago, we planted a small copse of pine trees in the U-shaped center of our driveway. We nursed and mulched those baby trees as they grew up right alongside our daughters. Over the years they hosted birds’ nests, ant farms, totem pole faces, scavenger hunts, and came to be called the “tree garden.”

Bummer: I was shocked one morning this spring when I came out the front door to discover that a destructive night wind  felled one of the larger pines. The fragrant giant stretched across my driveway, well into the neighbor’s yard, while shards of the broken stump reached up like fingers from the mulch. The sight was heartbreaking.
Blessing: Despite the length and width of that huge tree, it didn’t hit my car or my house. It landed within a foot of my deck and inches from my car, safely between the two, and nowhere near the front porch of the neighbor’s house toward which it was pointed.

Bummer: I called a tree company to remove the debris and the chop down the tall stump. As part of the process they examined the rest of the tree garden, and on inspection, found the other trees had irreparable injuries. They were likely to fall by the end of the summer.
Blessing: At least I found out before any damage was done. Even though the first tree had fallen safely, the others would have landed on (and likely through) my roof. I hired the tree company to chop down the wounded giants, grind the stumps and plant new trees in their place.

Bummer: After a lengthy wait, the tree company was too busy to get my work done in the time frame I wanted. I was “forced” to be the general contractor on a project that was completely foreign to me. I know nothing about trees or landscaping science.
Blessing: On a whim, I went to a garden store in a neighboring town where a friendly landscape artist took time to teach me about the growth and history of local trees. I had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and picked out three substantial Deodar cedars and a Venus dogwood that could gradually become works of art in my front garden.

Bummer: For days, the project occupied my thoughts and free time. I remembered to call “Miss Utility” to have the underground power lines marked, but with the rain that was predicted, the paint was only likely to last for a week. The root balls on the cedars each weighted five hundred pounds, so having them delivered and planted was complicated. I called other tree companies, a friend with a back hoe, a local landscaper, even an acquaintance with a stump grinder, but despite my best efforts the different parts of the project were impossible to coordinate. The huge new trees got planted around old stumps and unexpected power lines in an arrangement that was not at all what I wanted. The triangle of trees was off center and asymmetric, more likely to eventually shade the road than my house. The ground was now clumpy and rough, reminiscent of an earthquake zone and nothing like the peaceful mulched site it once was.

Which brings me to today as I look out my kitchen window. I can fixate on the bummer and stew in resentment or I can dig deeper to find the blessing. Maybe this new arrangement is where the trees will grow the best, and in five years I’ll write another blog post about how great they look. Or maybe God is giving me an opportunity to practice patience or relinquish control. Maybe this is simply a reminder that it’s easy to fixate on things that really aren’t all that important.

Fretting about those trees won’t make a bit of difference, and when I look back over the significant moments in my life, I am pretty sure trees won’t be on the list. I can relax and learn to appreciate the unique beauty of a new tree garden that won’t hurt my house. I can loosen my grip on something that’s not really under my control anyway and let God take care of the trees.
Yes, I choose to see the blessing. And I am happy with it.

Find the silver lining; look on the bright side; notice the glass half full: there are lots of sayings about choosing to see the blessing rather than the bummer. What’s your favorite? Share in the comments below!

Please share this post with anyone you know who might need a reminder.
colleen