“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” - Nelson Henderson
My friend Henry Barber sent me his thought for the day and it is too good to not share.
“Wouldn’t it be great if we as a society could transition from throwing shade to planting a tree to grow shade?”
“Throwing shade” has become our modern reflex...quick criticism, snarky comments, subtle digs. I’m not sure who may have coined it but social media certainly has fertilized it. I guess it is easy and somehow satisfying to some.
Planting a tree, on the other hand takes intention. You have to dig and get your hands dirty. And no one will enjoy the shade right away. Most often the person who benefits most from the shade might be someone who comes along years later.
Encouragement, patience, mentoring, giving someone the benefit of the doubt....those are all ways of planting trees. They take a bit more effort, but over time they create something far more important, valuable, and rewarding than a quick moment of criticism.
It is a cooler place for everyone to stand.
Maybe that’s a good small challenge for today: instead of throwing shade let’s do some planting.
Have a great day.
(Today’s picture was taken by Darylann Leonard. While it may be a little out of season, it fits the story so well. Trees come in many shapes and forms, but they all share the same purpose of offering shade, shelter, and a little bit of comfort to those around them. The same is true with us. Encouragement, kindness, patience, mentoring…they may all look different, but each one is its own way of providing someone its own kind of shade.)
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