Tending Our Gardens

Reflecting on lessons from The Giving Tree

For the first time in my life, I feel like I'm not in a rush for success. I feel like I know success is inevitable, in part because I'm already there. Writing 6 days a week has completely transformed how I'm viewing things.

It gets me out of my head. Gets me thinking about what really matters. All I have to remember to do is keep doing it and good things will come.

I'm not even talking about tangible things. The way I interact with the world is already transforming. I'm seeing myself much more in a positive light which allows me to bring more positivity out into the world.

I'm sure the subject matter has been helping. But even more than that, I have given myself a creative outlet that I enjoy doing. I've wanted to write forever but just never sat down and put in the work. Mostly because I'm focused on the end result.

What will it give me when I've finished?

What kind of question is that for a creative pursuit? It is giving to me constantly. Why do I need to ask for more on the back end?

Obviously we all need money, but we also all need fulfillment. Taking that creative side of myself and forcing it into the commercial side of my life is a mistake. In fact, the creative side is what will fuel any success I have in the commerce/business side.

By tending my creativity garden, I am becoming more agile and creative in making my business work for me, instead of working for my business. I am gaining more tools in my toolbelt as I pursue commercial interests.

This morning is the first time I think I fully grasp the lessons from The Giving Tree. If you're not familiar, it is a children's story by Shel Silverstein.

Quick recap:

The story begins with a tree and a boy. Everyday the boy comes to play with the tree, playing hide and seek, climbing the branches, and sleeping in her shade. The boy loves the tree and the tree loves the boy. They are both very happy.

One day the boy comes, but he is older. He wants money to buy things so he can be happy. The tree doesn't have money, so instead she gives the boy her apples to sell in the city. Then he will be happy.

The boy returns many years later looking for a house. He wants a wife and kids, so he needs a house. The tree gives the boy her branches so he can build a house. Then he will be happy.

Many years go by, but the boy again returns. He is now old and grumpy and wishes to leave. The tree tells the boy to cut down her trunk so that he may build a boat and sail away. Then he will be happy.

The boy returns one last time at the end of his life. The tree apologizes because she has nothing left to give. She is just an old stump. But the boy doesn't need anything. Just a quiet place to sit and rest.

"Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could. "Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, boy, sit down. Sit down and rest." So the boy did. And the tree was happy.

We all have a tree inside us. And we all start out like that first little boy, playing with and loving our tree without another care in the world.

Then we grow. We become aware of the outside world and the things it has to offer. We get caught up in doing things that will give us other things, which allow us to do more things which in turn will give us even more things. On and on we go.

We get so caught up that we forget about our tree. We only come back to it when we need something.

2020 seems as good a year as any for us all to sit down and reconnect with our tree. With enough attention, we can build an entire garden around our tree.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!