Guest Column
Lori Irvine
Team and Leadership Coach
Lori Irvine received this message from her coaching client in Lacombe, AB as a story about how to keep personal or workplace baggage out of the way and leave it somewhere to revisit, when needed:
“I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, and after he had just finished a rough first day on the job, a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit and his ancient one ton truck refused to start.
While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. Upon arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands.
When opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.
Afterward, he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.
‘Oh, that’s my trouble tree, he replied. I know I can’t help having troubles on the job, but one thing’s for sure those troubles don’t belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home.
Then, in the morning I pick them up again. Funny thing is he smiled, when I come out in the morning to pick ’em up, there aren’t nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.’”
We all Need a Tree !!
