The Trouble Tree

I hired a carpenter to help me restore an old farmhouse. He had a rough first day on the job - a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and his ancient pickup truck refused to start at the end of the day. When I drove him home, he sat in stony silence.

On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching tips of the branches with both hands. When he opened the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward, he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

“Oh, that’s my trouble tree,” he replied. “I know I can’t help having troubles on the job but one thing’s for sure, troubles don’t belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again.

“Funny thing is,” he smiled, “ when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren’t nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.” (Author Unknown)