[Treeplanter]

Taking Life Seriously.
I believe that I had a difficult childhood for many reasons which even now I won't talk about. As a consequence there was a lot of pressure on me to perform academically which was unfortunately against my ability and nature. By great personal effort, I found myself in first year university studying science. This was so difficult, you cannot believe. Incredibly in our small church, I had to go to church in those days, was someone a year older who had passed this subject and he gave me some valuable assistance which I'm quite sure helped me to pass the exam. I then went on and completed the degree.
I got a job and because of my nature, saved all my money. Frankly I hated the work and decided I wanted to purchase a degraded farm to lead a more casual life style and to put into practice my environmental morality and to restore it.
While working, I met someone who had a similiar mindset. He then resigns and rents a cheap farm house in an attractive locality. I visited a few times and he told me of a nearby farm that was for sale that had all the characteristics of what I was looking for. After considerable effort and consternation, I was eventually able to purchase this, in some peoples' eyes, a serious liability. Over the years, my treeplanting has transformed it into an arcadia.
After I had moved in, the old neighbour told me that the farm had only come onto the market to be sold because the previous owner's elder son had died from snake bite. A very symbolic and sobering death.
After moving in, and probably having been here for about a year, I noticed the initials of a previous owner carved into the wall. The thing is that these initials are the same as mine. I cannot help but think, is this seriously strange or is it fate?
Looking back now, I can see a chain of events that is even distressing. The first person who seriously helped me was killed in a car accident about a year later.The second person who told me about his place was also killed in a motoring accident a year or two later. The third person to die, I've mentioned as he was the previous owner's son.
My grandparents were theosophists to a degree and I always had an interest as well. The first person who died,I believe that I met in my one and only vivid dream, a few days after his death. Not long after moving in and meeting some of the locals, I discover that there was also a local theosophical group. I then make a request to join and am accepted. It has since been disbanded but that does not matter.
In my own way, I take life very seriously. I can now see how several people somehow by fate, had helped me and seemingly from my point of view, then lost their life. I know it is too much to say but could their mission have been to assist me? It is a troubling thought. Yes, I did my treeplanting and the farm has been transformed from desperation to arcadia. A visitor once exclaimed, perhaps in a different context but still here, "I have truly found paradise!
On joining the theosophical or perhaps an esoteric group, we were told that it was like going to war. Life is to be taken more seriously.