Not quite a native Ripley Countian - she attended only her last year of high school in Doniphan though she taught in the R-1 system for 32 years - Teresa (Pearson) Lee delights in surprising readers and herself with anecdotal observations of life in general. Maybe you can blame her St.Louis roots for a quirky humor and some slightly-askewed opinions, but never doubt she writes from the heart.

Family Trees

Posted Wednesday, February 10, 2021, at 7:12 AM

Trees intrigue me. To see and ponder seasonal changes, I drive around regularly to check on favorites and find new ones. When one disappears, it’s sad. I wonder what was wrong. Did weather create conditions that overpowered it? Did it acquire a disease? Was it in someone’s way?

It’s a fun challenge to parallel trees and humans. Seeds scatter and become saplings in a small patch of woods having the same makeup as parent trees but with unique traits. If protected just enough while being nurtured by sun and rain and strengthened by winds, the saplings grow to provide shade, food, homes and comfort for a variety of living creatures.

Some scientific studies show that trees communicate. Roots and branches intertwine, nourishing earth and atmosphere, forming fascinating forest environments above and below ground. When one topples, those environments are impacted immediately. With time, root systems and canopies adjust. Their provisions continue, with a difference, still good but not the same.

As it is with losses in our human families. Frank Winford’s passing has created a huge gap in the canopy of life for many around here. Rest in peace, Frank. 1964 - 2021. Loss overwhelms, but adjust we must to resume our lives and enjoy the present with family and friends. Life continues, but with a difference. Still good, but not the same.