A tiny seed sprouted in a great ancient forest and knew right away it had a problem. Tall trees loomed all around it blocking out almost all of the sun.
Since a tree cannot grow and thrive without sun, things did not look good for the little sprout. It might not live to become a sapling much less a full grown tree.
But afternoon brought a tiny ray of sun peaking through the canopy. The sprout basked in the warmth though it was short lived. It was enough to offer hope.
As the sprout slowly and painfully struggled to get enough nourishment to grow into a sapling, it noticed all the branches the other trees had. It must take energy to send those branches out in every direction, the youngster reasoned. Perhaps I'll just create enough branches to nourish myself on this beam, and then wait until I can see the sun to grow more branches. Then I won't waste any energy.
Years passed, and the sapling grew taller. It was frail from lack of sunlight and crooked from straining to reach that one beam, but it never gave up. Rains came and the heavy snows of winter, but the thin little tree did not bow beneath the weight.
Every day it told itself, "Soon I shall see the sky."
And then one day it brushed against the leave of the other trees. Though it was tired, it pushed itself to grow just a little taller, to pierce the canopy and bask in the rich air above.
It could scarcely believe it had reached the heights of the other trees, but while it had thrown all its energy into growing, the ancient trunks had merely grown a little fatter. So comfortable in their dominance were they that they had not noticed the upstart until it was too late.
Now all those great ancient trees are in the younger tree's shadow, and it has more sun than it could ever need.
Since a tree cannot grow and thrive without sun, things did not look good for the little sprout. It might not live to become a sapling much less a full grown tree.
But afternoon brought a tiny ray of sun peaking through the canopy. The sprout basked in the warmth though it was short lived. It was enough to offer hope.
As the sprout slowly and painfully struggled to get enough nourishment to grow into a sapling, it noticed all the branches the other trees had. It must take energy to send those branches out in every direction, the youngster reasoned. Perhaps I'll just create enough branches to nourish myself on this beam, and then wait until I can see the sun to grow more branches. Then I won't waste any energy.
Years passed, and the sapling grew taller. It was frail from lack of sunlight and crooked from straining to reach that one beam, but it never gave up. Rains came and the heavy snows of winter, but the thin little tree did not bow beneath the weight.
Every day it told itself, "Soon I shall see the sky."
And then one day it brushed against the leave of the other trees. Though it was tired, it pushed itself to grow just a little taller, to pierce the canopy and bask in the rich air above.
It could scarcely believe it had reached the heights of the other trees, but while it had thrown all its energy into growing, the ancient trunks had merely grown a little fatter. So comfortable in their dominance were they that they had not noticed the upstart until it was too late.
Now all those great ancient trees are in the younger tree's shadow, and it has more sun than it could ever need.
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