My favorite tree is a giant Sycamore Oak tree in a local park near my house. Its smooth, white roots rise and tumble in and out of the soil around its base. Every year it spawns leaves larger than my hand. The oak is a symbol of strength and power. What’s amazing is that the giant it becomes grows from a tiny acorn. Mighty as the great oak is, this process requires a lot of time. One day, if the oak survives, the planter can enjoy the fruits of his labor and rest in the cool shade beneath its giant canopy.
Michael Hyatt retells an ancient proverb about a tree using the symbol of an oak. The story goes like this…
A young man once asked a wise old woman, “When is the best time to plant an oak tree?”
She answered: “Twenty years ago.”
He then asked, “When is the second best time?”
She answered, ”Today.”
Angel Oak by Charleston’s TheDigitel
As we consider the mighty oak, I am struck by how long it takes for an oak to thrive. There is something to be said for the individual who plants the oak tree (or an entire grove!). I need another symbol for the year that is ahead. I want to plant, grow, and enjoy the fruits of my labor….but I need something that will respond to my efforts a bit quicker.
What I need is bamboo.
