We think of trees as standing tall and holding fast, but they have a life cycle. Over time, their roots weaken. And then, as so many did in the winds yesterday, they fall over. If we haven’t been tending them properly, if we’re lucky, they don’t fall on houses. Yesterday, we weren’t so lucky in this region.

It’s hard not to draw analogies to the institutions tumbling down around us… especially since we’ve paid so little attention to our infrastructure. We have to ask ourselves if the right institutions are being remade…

But when the old fall, we then have to ask ourselves if we’re going to plant the right trees in their place. Since those trees were planted 200, 100, or even simply 50 years ago, we’ve learned a lot. Let us plant with what we’ve known for the world we need.

Wishing us all the blessings of Spring budding, Summer shade, Autumn color and black Winter branches writing in the skies. Hoping that we all gather to plant new and tender Peace saplings.