Jumping trees not the problem here!

It seems as though every time I pick up my newspaper to read, I see item after item where a car or motorcycle has crashed and people are hurt or even killed by slamming into — horrors — a tree, a living, gentle friend who only wants to grow and benefit mankind.

It causes terrible pain in spite of the fact that a tree doesn't have a mean stick in it — root, trunk, limb or leaf.

But what about these trees? Very often, a sturdy oak jumps in front of cars and wreaks havoc on drivers calmly motoring along our roads and highways. It couldn't be the drivers who have explored too large a portion of ersatz joy juice (booze) so it became a bitter experience, or could it?

Maybe a driver soared so high on drugs that his or her brain turned to mush and slid out of control.

Then there are idiots operating cell phones while behind the wheel and, of course, people who are just plain careless.

Nobody should blame the tree.

It's just the opposite — mankind is the one dealing out the misery then refusing to take the blame. The rooted tree becomes the scapegoat for people's misbehaviors and mistakes on the roads.

Trees only want to grow in peace. Without the old growth to shelter them, young trees must fend for themselves against hot sun, drought, flood, fire, erosion and multitudes of harmful bugs, yet they cling to life cleaning the air, producing oxygen, growing all sorts of fruits, nuts and medications for man's sustenance and comfort including wood to cook food and warm the hearth. Add the materials trees grow for man to use for homes, furniture and all the varied things people need for their daily lives that are made of wood.

There is the beauty, joy and comfort trees put into our lives. It would be a cold, sad, dead and ugly world without trees.

Long live the trees!