More on planning and planting for the future.

Beth Koop is one of my Dry Creek Camp friends. Her parents are a classic example of a lifelong good marriage. Beth shared this concerning the future and tree planting.

"My daddy was talking about planting a tree a few weeks ago. My mama asked why he wanted to plant a tree because he is 89 yrs. old & would not get to enjoy it. I reminded her that he's been saying "I won't be around much longer" for at least 10 yrs. now. We all had a laugh. He's still planting a garden & she's still canning & freezing."

My goal: still to be planting trees at 89.

Lennie Hanchey told me the story last week about her father in law, K.R. Hanchey, planting a huge tract of pines in the late 1950's. Dry Creek legend has it that the seedling pines were burned by woods arsonists the first two years, but Hanchey kept planting until they survived.

Mr. Hanchey said, "I'll never see these trees grow big enough to cut, but they'll pay college for my grandchildren. Lennie added, "Not only have those trees paid for college for the grandchildren but now they're doing the same for great grandchildren."

True vision always looks beyond our own needs and life.
It looks ahead.
It plants trees under which we'll never enjoy the shade.