Trimming trees…

…is so much easier with a chainsaw. The branches just peel away and fall off with no trouble at all. Of course you’ve figured out by now (or God I hope you have) that I refer not to decorating a Christmas Tree but rather the titanic oak in the front yard. What would have taken perhaps two afternoons of backbreaking work with a handsaw I accomplished in just over half an hour. Unfortunately, the chainsaw kicked back a bit and I twisted a muscle in my shoulder and am now a lame duck.

I’m not sure what has gotten into me, really. But I’ve been bitten by a home improvement bug the last few days. Yesterday it was Christmas lights, the patio, and starting painting in the kitchen. Today, it was more painting, a new stovetop, trimming the tree, and finishing the surround sound hook up. It’s great to be accomplishing so much right here before Christmas.

Such is life when you have a few days off unexpectedly. The deeper I get into the chores, though, the more I recognize how much I have left to do. It reminds me of how we live life.

We humans are strange creatures. We rarely get to the point of stasis. Rather, we work ourselves to continually, progressively harder, until the day we retire. Why can’t we find a comfortable place to live — and I don’t mean house…I mean the active verb, the act and art of conducting life? After all, we only get one shot at it — regardless of what happens *after*.

Live life to the fullest, be well, and be of good cheer.