To me, the tree is one of the most beautiful metaphors for life.
In many ways, a tree resembles a wise, flourishing, and kind human being. A tree grows, endures, and loves—all at once.
From observing the life of a tree, I have learned eight enduring lessons:
One. Perpetual Growth
A tree is always growing—from the moment it sprouts until the final breath of its life. For the tree, growth and flourishing aren’t just parts of life; they are life itself.
Two. Purification and Self-Renewal
A tree has the power of purification and self-cleansing. It knows what benefits it and what harms it. More than that, it knows how to turn bitterness into sweetness, and suffering into fruit. It takes murky water and transforms it into blossoms and pure fruit. It sheds its old, diseased leaves and bark and grows new branches and foliage.
Three. Flexibility and Openness
A tree is a pillar with no front or back. You cannot say which side is its face or its back. It receives light from all directions and welcomes the breeze on all sides of its body.
Four. Transcendence with Rootedness
A tree has its roots in the earth, its trunk in the air, and its head in the sky. It draws nourishment from the soil, but it does not stay confined to it. The earth is its foundation, not its destination; the tree is oriented toward the sky. Even on the day of its death, a tree dies standing tall.
Five. Growth with Balance
The tree’s trunk is the colour of earth—the place it comes from. But its flowers and leaves are the colours of life and flourishing. The tree is, at once, earthy, green, and celestial.
Six. Kindness and Generosity
A tree turns its back on no one. It withholds neither its fruit nor its shade—whether good or bad, beautiful or ugly, whoever approaches it receives benefit.
Seven. Self-Acceptance and Beautiful Imperfections
A tree is not a flawless, smooth cylinder. Its body is full of curves, grooves, and sometimes the marks of an axe. But these very things are what make it beautiful—scars from harsh winters, life’s storms, and years of steadfastness.
Eight. A Fruitful Life
Everything about a tree is goodness and benefit—from its shade, branches, and wood to its fruit, resin, and the fresh air it offers to the world. The life of a tree is a book—full of meaning and worthy of reading; a story of rootedness, growth, generosity, and endurance.
Perhaps it is no coincidence that the pages of books are made from trees; the tree offers even its body and soul so that we may make paper, write upon it, read, and learn—so that we too may grow and flourish, just like the tree.
