Obituary

Today I awoke to the sounds of a dear friend being murdered.

(Is that too harsh?)

This tree (photo taken May 2007), which has stood on the sidewalk out front of my house for many, many years -- well before I bought the house nine years ago -- is no more. Thanks to a few of my idiot neighbors and the City of Philadelphia, the tree has been cut down with chainsaws and run through a chipper. For the first few minutes, all I could do was watch and cry... eventually, I had to turn away.

Since moving here, I've marked the changing seasons by this tree, getting excited at the first budding leaves of springs and the first hint of autumn red and gold. I've relied on it to help cool my house in the summer, when the afternoon sun's rays were filtered through its leaves. I've enjoyed hearing the rustle of the leaves as a breeze blows through on warm summer evenings. And, as I could always see the tree through my bedroom window with my head on my pillow, it has been a comforting presence in times of sorrow -- anyone remember the scene from Phenomenon when John Travolta reminds Kyra Sedgwick of how she rocked her children when they were small and then points out the swaying movement of the trees... yeah.

So, I'm more than a bit teary-eyed today, and I keep begging Matt to say that we can move... I don't think I can set foot outside my front door right now. I can't even bring myself to look out the window...

:(