The Trouble Tree

We all have trouble in our lives and sometimes we don't know how to handle them. Taking the time, to take our troubles from work and hang them up before we walk inside shows our loved ones, how we love them.

Here's a story about the Trouble Tree and how one man, handled his troubles and his home life everyday:

The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and then his old pickup truck refused to start.
 

While 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 the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening 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 is for sure, troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and 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."

"The 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."
 

Everybody needs a trouble tree..

(by anonymous)

We all need a Trouble Tree to be able to manage our emotions and our stress levels. When we are home, we should be able to let go of our everyday problems and just be at home with our families. Families are the foundation in each of our lives and we should not worry about outside issues because what's most important is right in front of us.