Lumber Could Talk

By Jack Dionne

II lumber could tclk, I leel thct it would scry something like this:

I ccure from cr tree thcrt siood mciestic on cr hillside. I stood sentinel there when the lorests ol this grect lcnd were untouched by the hcnd oI the woodsmqn.

I recred my top brqnches into the glory of the sunlight by dcy, qnd drcrnk deep in the dews oI evening. Generctions pcssed while still I grew; cnd lurther genercrtions hcve come cnd gone since I beccme one ol the big trees ol the forest. I seemed to be cr thing cpcrt, c thing eternal, so slow crnd watchful seemed the hcmd of Providence thct lqshioned me.

The llowers ol m<rny springrimgs ccme, crnd bloomed, crnd died, and were no more; yet I wcrs chcngeless. The grcsses on the hillside ccure lorth through countless springs, grew, withered, died, cmd discppeared. Yet I remcrined. The wintry blcsts blew lutile cgcinst my towering strength,' the gentle aummer breezes larured my lcrzy boughs,' crnd crutumn colors through endless Indicrn Summers bedecked the woods crround me. And still I stood, unchcrnged, cand unimpressed.

Then one dcry there ccme men with cxe crnd scrw; crnd I lell crcshing my lull length upon the ground where my shcrdow hcd lcrllen lor crges. The trcaedy oI my dismemberment and disruption lollowed. Todcry, L who stood upon the hillside while genercrtions ccme crnd discrppecrred, cnrd whose children cnrd children's children lollowed lhcri sellscrme pcrth-<rm only L[IMBER.

My destiny is to go out inlo the world piecemecrl, thqt men mcy fcshion me into plcrces oI shelter. Thct is my lcte. But to those men who tore me lrom my plcrce in the sun cnd flung me prostrcrte with their devices; who ruthlessly tore down the mighty bulk thcrt the winds oI God hcd beqt cgcinst lor ceniuries, I would scy these things:

Honor me lor whct I hqve been" crnd for whct I will be. Send me not lightly or thoughtlessly forih into the world without c chosen mission. God never built me through cll those yecrs cnd preserved me Irom cll those countless storms, without crn AIM-cr PLAN. IIE surely hqd some gregt work lor mL to do. Therelore you, who hcrve humbled me, find me thcrt mission. See thct the sons oI men know well ol the mighty uselulness thcrt God Himsell hcs built into my thews qnd sinews. Send me Iorth, not cr vcrgrcrnt or cr mcrverick, but ccrrve lor me the fitting destiny ihcrt my strength qnd worth deserve. Scy to the sons oI men thct the Mighty Power thcrt reared me through the cges hcs tempered me to do the work of cges,' thct I mcy well be trusted to shelter cnd protect men crnd their possessions cs eterncrlly as I stood upon my lormer hillside.

THAT is my plec. Respect me. Direct me. Introduce me littingly. Give me proud work to do. I DESER\IE IT.