Posts by Pat:
Are you a tumbleweed or a redwood?
Do you know what makes a tumbleweed so susceptible to the wind? It only puts down one root, and that root is very shallow. So, it is easily uprooted when the wind blows, going wherever the wind pushes it without any sense of direction or stability.
Are there any “tumbleweeds” in your life? Could it be you? It may be tempting to put down shallow roots in your own life. Shallow roots are easier and they don’t require as much work. Less self discipline, fewer hard choices, more convenient and fun?
On the other hand, a redwood tree’s root system may surprise you!
Living on the west coast of California, I saw a lot of redwood trees. They are big! Weighing up to 500 tons, reaching over 350 feet tall, they live for many centuries.
Something that huge would seem to need an incredible
root system that goes down deep in order to stand that tall and to withstand strong winds, earthquakes, and storms.
But the sequoia redwood trees have a unique root system. Their roots are relatively shallow with no tap root to anchor them deep into the earth. The roots only go down 6-12 feet.
The interesting thing about redwood trees is that their root systems are intertwined with the other redwood trees, literally holding each other up. Only redwoods have the strength and ability to support other redwoods.
The trees grow very close together in groves and are dependent on each other for nutrients as well.
It’s like there’s an army of folks who have their arms interlocked, standing and supporting each other. They prevent the adversaries of life from knocking each other down.
So…
- Do you belong to a “grove” that supports you and allows you to support others?
- Do you contribute to the success of your grove?
- Or are you living a “tumbleweed” life?
- And if so, what would you do to change that?
A short Zen tale plus a PS
Words matter, even when they are few! A man joined a monastery in which the monks were allowed to speak only two words every seven years. After the first seven years had passed, the new initiate met with the abbot who asked him, “Well, what are your two words?” “Food’s bad,” replied the man, who […]
The rules for being human
You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period of this time around. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called Life. Each day in this school you will have the opportunity […]
Emptiness can be a good thing
Does your fuel tank ever run empty? Is your life filled with places to go, things to do, people to see, goals to achieve..? Are you cramming your schedule, home, head and belly until they are too full? Do you chronically over schedule yourself? If everything is too full, you need to let there be […]
Angels as explained by children
As they say…”No one says it better than a child” and here’s what some of them have said! I only know the names of two angels, Hark and Harold. Gregory, age 5 Everybody’s got it all wrong. Angels don’t wear halos anymore. I forget why, but scientists are working on it. Olive, age 9 All […]
The buzzard, bat, bumblebee and us
Though I can’t vouch for the truth of the animal’s behavior, I love the message in this short story shared in a friend’s email! THE BUZZARD If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability […]
Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day
Who knew?! I didn’t! Today, February 11th, is a holiday based on our English language idiom crying over spilled milk, which means to be upset over something that cannot be undone. I don’t know about you, but I think I need this. We all need a little reminder sometimes-to take a deep breath, clean up […]
2 things I know about you and me…
ONE: You are capable of more than you think. TWO: AND it will take more work than you think. I know the first one because this has been true of everyone I’ve ever met. (And it’s true of me too!) We are the worst judges of what we are capable of and each of us has another gear, a […]
Recognize this song?
There’s some great life lessons everywhere we look! I bet you can guess what childhood song all these” lessons” refer to! Wayne Dyer used the childhood song “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” to emphasize that we should… ROW…take some action, don’t just think about […]
“Have to” or “Get to”?
Do you ever find yourself saying I have to… I should… I must… and how does that make you feel? Wouldn’t you rather feel light than heavy? Then look at your obligations with a different attitude. Obligations: feeding your cat/dog/kids/or any living creature who depends upon you for food. showing up at your job so […]