To prune or not to prune- that is the question? Or is it?

I took a little road trip.......fetching Elderberry plants, and a Red Baron apple tree......replacing one from yesteryear that had winter killed . 

The fruit from this variety of apple is crisp and juicy with a touch of red thru out the flesh of the apple. 

  Back in 1983 we planted out first Cortland tree.... our son was 11 1/2 years old and our daughter 5 . During the following season we planted 2 pear trees and 9 other apple trees of a wide variety........oh, the delight these fruit trees were to me......watching them grow.

 Then when it was their time for producing fruit-it was our reward for the hard work of caring for this small orchard. 

In the fall of 1989, after having kept up with the every 2 week spraying all thru the summer- we harvested a large crop of blemish free fruit.

But and Unfortunately- the principles of "pruning", at that time I  just could not embrace. 

"I" thought it impossible/ or more plainly stated WRONG to prune a healthy, strong, fruit bearing branch!   

Because I relied on “my limited understanding” and did not believe the experts, my trees became overgrown with too many branches, thus the orchard no longer gave us the prized fruit we covet .

Along with my failure to execute pruning, I allowed life to get in the way of my commitment to the twice monthly spraying...thus the the fruit was left vulnerable to disease and pests.

Here I am again just telling a simple story- and as I write it - it becomes clear there is a spiritual parallel to be shared.

 Now  that is a subject I  may know a little more about...at least I will gather my thoughts and be back in a blog post soon. 

Hope you will look me up again..  Till then....