CONTRIBUTED CONTENT: Observation

Last Thursday, while talking with some clients about their trees, we had to pause for a moment while a slow-moving street sweeper passed due to the noise. As he navigated his task trying to stay tight to the curb, I noticed how challenging it was. He had to make choices on which bulging tree crown out over the street he could push past while staying true to his path and those he had to swing out and around to prevent tree or equipment damage. I continued to watch as he passed and realized he would have to do this several times, veering back out and around trees. My thoughts suddenly turned to, what would it look like for a large moving semi? About directly in the center would be the only safe place to be without hitting limbs.

As an arborist, I have pruned many street trees and always try to keep this in mind, but it wasn’t until I imagined myself being in the actual driver’s seat that I could see more vividly how challenging our larger sanitation, emergency, delivery and road maintenance vehicles can have it. And if two large trucks going in the opposite direction must pass each other, tree limbs not pruned to proper street clearance height could really be damaged along with the vehicle.

In part, this may be an article about proper clearance to street trees, but as I drove away, another more empathetic lesson settled over me and I heard, “Until we walk a mile in someone else's shoes, we can’t really understand what it is like for them.”

Rewind to the night prior. I had just drifted off to sleep when our daughter woke me and my wife. Our family's large Doberman pinscher had been acting strange and had walked into the woods behind our house and could not get up. Long story short, he was suffering from gastric dilation volvulus or a twisted stomach. This is a serious emergency condition and one where time is ticking. Within five minutes, I was racing down the road with dog and a crying daughter trying to get into the emergency vet. I know I was pushing the speed limit and tailgating a bit to find openings. I felt very guilty especially driving my obviously lettered work truck. I just keep thinking in my head “I’m sorry folks! I wish you knew what was happening. I don’t normally drive like this!”

As the week ended, I was reminded. Despite what the media might attempt to focus on or magnify, as people, we all have a lot more in common than things we don’t. One way to start discovering those commonalities is to put yourself in the other person's position.

Until next week, keep those street trees properly pruned; and for further tree related questions, quotes or consultations, give us a call today, 208-762-5800!

For more information on Grace Tree Service, check out our website at gracetreeservice.com.