Time.

We have a tree in our front yard that has already seen its best days and is now on a severe decline into a sad and rather pitiful death. It has been sick for a long time, and aside from a miracle, it will not get better.

For a while, I have held out cutting it down, partly because of sentimental value, partly because of the overwhelming thought of having to get rid of it, but mostly because I don’t like change. I like the tree. I like the idea of the tree. I just wish it wasn’t what it is—unhealthy. But its time has come, and I have joined in agreement with my wife, Amanda, that it is time.

This got me thinking—we all have had or currently do have sick and/or dying trees in our lives that simply need to be uprooted. It might be a toxic relationship that will never change. It could be regrets that we have been holding on to. It might be pride that tries to stave off the embarrassment of saying to someone, “I’m sorry.” Or it might be the fear of moving on from a great loss as you just want to hold on to the nostalgic feelings of “how it used to be.” I certainly have some trees. In fact, if I really think about it, I probably have my own little forest.

I was reading the book of Ecclesiastes this morning, written by King Solomon who was the wisest, most powerful and wealthy person of his time, and a certain part just stuck with me. The book is a deeply penetrating, stark look into the heart of man, filled with raw emotion yet great wisdom. From it comes a very famous song by The Byrds called “Turn Turn Turn (to Everything There Is a Season).” 

Chapter 3

There is a time for everything, 
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

We can’t hold on to broken, diseased and dead things. We have to cut those trees down so that there can grow newer, healthier, more beautiful ones. Letting go is hard. But it’s time.

P.S. The tree is now gone and a beautiful new one has been planted in its place.