There is no improving on Wendell Berry’s adage from Given. “There are no unsacred places; there are only sacred places and desecrated places.”
150 years old. 100 feet tall. Senseless and brutal destruction of this stalwart right over our property line. Our relationship with this oak and her dozens of sister oaks taken from these neighboring woods goes back 45 years. We’ve run or walked our trails nearby 1000s of times. We’ve observed Yom Kippur afternoon with our kids every year when they were younger – pairs of us sitting at the base of this very tree (and others) seeking and giving forgiveness.
No one will seek our forgiveness for this desecration. But I know we will seek forgiveness from these old ones every time we walk by.
Dick Westheimer 