Sad loss

Dear editor:
Something happened at Clearwater Lake recently that has me thinking about different types of people.
As my husband and I boated across the lake to our cabin this past Saturday, I was astounded to see a stump where a landmark white pine used to stand. The massive seed tree was there when we passed two weeks ago, but the shoreline where it stood is suddenly bare.
Now I have to admit there is no logical reason for that tree to stay standing. It makes more sense that it’s slashed down and used for furniture, siding, or whatever.
But at the same time, there is no practical purpose to anything we value most.
I have watched people gaze up into that tree and, for an important moment, forget about their stresses and worries. Many have exclaimed their amazement at “such a huge tree,” and they wonder how its pure green limbs are nourished by a sand-filled granite crevice.
They marvel at the bulk of the trunk and the delicate nature of its soft waving limbs.
For me, seeing that tree announced that it is time to breathe deep and leave behind the hectic tasks of day-to-day.
The tree is left strewn on the ground by its stump, and it surely will be dragged away when there are no witnesses. Seeing it there, I actually pity the people who cut it—and I hope they put it to good use.
I doubt they are capable of experiencing beauty like most people. If they were, they will consider taking their trees far from the shoreline. Or better yet, they’d acquire their wood from a place like Manitou Lumber and therefore help support the local economy.
Instead, they sneak out to do their job as soon as cottagers leave for home.
It’s sad that not everyone comprehends the beauty of our lake shores. In this case, the people who want that wood probably will miss out on the tree’s most valuable gifts.
Sincerely,
Joanna Loney
Winnipeg, Man.