Anxious Worry

In George R. Hausman’s “The Parable of the Apple Tree,” the author describes how, one winter, he spent his daily breakfast-time contemplating the wonder of an apple tree in his back yard. “As I contemplated the apple tree,” he wrote, “I reminded myself that somewhere in the tree is an invisible, irresistible force or power which, in Spring, brings forth leaves and beautiful blossoms. Later on, the blossoms disappear, to be eventually replaced by apples. This brings to mind another wonder of nature. In the summertime, all the trees are beautiful with foliage, and we enjoy looking at them and experiencing their cool shade. But how does that invisible, irresistible force know to put apples on this one tree? It never makes the mistake of putting even one apple on any of the others. The apple tree reminded me of a friend who is an apple grower”:

In the spring, he is fearful about a frost that might damage the blossoms and thus affect…