If you're among the loggers and timber fallers who work America's forests, you practice a craft that Bureau of Labor Statistics data confirms is the most dangerous occupation in the United States. Every shift, every tree you fell carries inherent dangers: struck by falling trees and branches during felling operations, chainsaw accidents causing severe lacerations and amputations, heavy equipment rollovers on steep terrain, crushed by logs during loading and transport, and remote location accidents with delayed emergency response. These aren't theoretical risks—they're the daily realities you manage through skill, constant vigilance, and deep respect for the power of both nature and machinery.

Your final messages should acknowledge the pride you take in forestry work and your connection to the land. Share what this profession has meant to you—the satisfaction of skilled timber falling, the beauty of working in forests, the tradition of a craft passed down through generations. Explain your safety protocols, your equipment maintenance routines, your decision-making process when assessing lean, wind conditions, and terrain hazards. Let your family see that every tree was felled with full knowledge of widow-maker branches overhead and the unpredictable behavior of massive timber under stress, guided by years of experience and an uncompromising commitment to doing the work right.

Consider creating season-specific messages that address the unique aspects of different logging operations and terrain challenges. Document your proudest accomplishments, the difficult jobs you've completed safely, the skills you've mastered over years of chainsaw operation and equipment handling, and the deep satisfaction of working in one of America's most demanding professions. These details provide context that helps your family understand why you chose this career despite having the highest fatality rate of any occupation. Share your philosophy about the importance of forestry work, the respect you have for both the forest and the machinery, and the meaning you've found in physically demanding labor that most people couldn't imagine doing.

For those who share your life, acknowledge both their strength and their constant worry. They've endured countless shifts wondering if this would be the day a tree barber-chaired, a chainsaw kicked back, or equipment rolled on steep terrain. Express gratitude for their acceptance of a profession that Bureau of Labor Statistics data confirms as America's deadliest occupation. Let them know that if the worst happens during logging operations, it occurred while you were practicing a craft you believed in, working hard to provide for your family, and doing work that builds the nation despite the extreme physical dangers.

JP, Luca, CJ, 8, and Summer