UPROOTED

Following the recent storm here in Cornwall, hundreds of trees fell, which is both sad and potentially dangerous. There have been multiple accounts of narrow escapes where trees have fallen on properties, narrowly missing the occupants, and one man not being so fortunate.

A couple of observations:

1. I’m not a tree expert, but there are a lot of pine and conifer trees here in Cornwall, whose roots are quite shallow. When the storms come, they would be more at risk of being uprooted. Over the years, historians say that the stronger deciduous trees were felled to be used in the tin mines as props and supports, leaving other trees on the land. The bigger the roots the less at risk a tree is. In our lives we need good roots that go deep, and to be grounded, we need to tap into everything that is life giving and nourishing.

2. I heard of a 95-year-old tree that fell in minutes. It is much quicker to destroy something than it is to grow something.

3. It’s hard to re-pot a tree. If it starts to wobble, it might fall. After the storm, there have been delays in some trees falling – they were badly shaken, and further strong breeze has been detrimental. Sometimes you and I wobble and fall on this tricky path of life. I love a verse in the Psalms that says. ‘Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with his hand.’ Psalm 37:24

- Good roots are important.
- Be a person that creates not destroys.
- If we wobble and fall, there is hope for us.