So prior to setting up the tents in the front yard for this big festival our family was having, I remember walking past our host dad and his brother-in-law having a heated debate about something. I didn’t know what it was they were talking about, nor did I bother asking. As I was walking past to our door, they stopped for a moment and acknowledged my presence; but after I walked past, their talking…with a bit of raised voices continued.
A little later on, I left for my sewing lessons and three hours later when I returned, I saw my host dad’s brother-in-law chopping down half of the beautiful, perfectly healthy, large, fruitful, provider-of-a lot-of-shade-for-the-front-yard, mango tree.
Yep. He was swinging with machete in hand, large blows to one half of the mango tree in our front yard.
I walked past, (he stopped swinging for a moment) smiled at him, didn’t say anything (while internally thought to myself, What in the world is he thinking!!!) and brought Will the news. Will (my very environmentally conscious husband) shook his head and put it in his hands, as I patted his back and went inside the house.
There he was, chopping down half of this large, fruitful mango tree.
It turned out he was chopping it down for the sole purpose of fitting the tent (that everyone would eat under) in that spot which was going to be set up for the festival. Apparently it wasn’t going to fit any other way.
“No. No … let’s not consider setting it up in the yard (perhaps because it was dirt rather than concrete back there!?!?).” “ No –no….. let’s not consider getting a smaller tent.” It seemed that the only solution was to cut down this mango tree, provider of fruit and shade in the front yard.
Sigh. Sometimes it’s really hard to grasp the thought processes, hierarchies and priorities in regards to a lot of things in this country. And sometimes it’s really hard to know and accept that we can’t do anything about many of the things here. We just have to be bystanders and let things happen. Sigh.
Anyway - I haven’t even gotten to the best part.
While I remember hearing the tree fall, (a familiar sound in my head, referencing 3hr Boundary Waters Trip) and saying to Will ‘There it went,’ I do sort of wish I was there to witness it.
Apparently, on its way down the trunk fell and broke our family’s spirit house in half. (A spirit house is a small little temple, almost like a miniature pagoda looking type of thing, usually made of concrete and painted nicely that Buddhists have in front of their houses. They offer food and prayers to it nightly as well as burn incense for offerings to their ancestors who have passed on, and I believe in return the ancestors look out for the house and its members.)
Anyhow, I don’t know all that much about the Buddhist religion..?... but let’s just say that I’m pretty sure I’m glad that it wasn’t ME who was the one who cut down that tree, which in turn broke the spirit house in half. yikes. If that isn’t a sign from the Buddha, I don’t know what is.
Within the hour, a brand new spirit house was delivered and cemented into its old spot. (Our host mom wasn’t going to take any chances) and preparations for the festival continued.
I guess I’ll never know what our host dad’s thoughts were on the whole subject. I never did ask, nor do I really feel comfortable bringing it up. I guess I’d like to think that he was arguing with his brother-in-law to not cut it down; but maybe that’s just something I will have to continue to think in my head.
The festival (which was a day and a half event) is now over, and now in the afternoon the front yard is quite a bit sunnier and hotter.
On the bright side (no pun intended) I guess this means we won’t have to eat as many mangoes during the mango season of next year.
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