Flourishing begins inside

A writer named David Quammen once climbed the second-tallest tree in the world. As he stood high in the branches, the President — the nickname given to this towering tree — released a dollop of melting snow. It scattered as it fell, breaking into tiny crystals that caught the light on their way down.

“Gesundheit,” he said, instinctively.

What could cause a dispassionate professional to feel such a personal connection to what others dismiss as “a big plant with a stick up the middle”? Perhaps it’s because when we encounter something deeply rooted, able to grow vast and expansive, we recognize a truth about ourselves. Not all strength is loud. Not all growth is visible. And what allows something to rise high often lies far beneath the surface.

✨3 Ideas

1. Deep Roots Make Growth Possible

A tree can withstand strong winds from what connects it below the surface, not from what rises majestically above the ground. Some of the sturdiest trees rely on roots that spread and intertwine with others, forming an unspeaking web of hardiness.

We are similar. Growth -- real, lasting growth -- begins when we are rooted: in our inner life, in a sense of meaning larger than ourselves, and in relationships that steady and shape us. Without roots, even the most promising growth eventually collapses.

Growth doesn’t begin with reaching higher. It begins with being rooted.

2. Growth Begins Unseen

There are seasons when trees appear lifeless, their branches bare and still. Yet beneath the surface, sap is already stirring, preparing what will later emerge in leaf and fruit. The tree stirs, beyond notice.

Our lives have similar seasons. Understanding deepens quietly, commitments to improve take shape, and resolve is formed long before results appear -- guided by a spiritual essence at work within us. What looks like stagnation may be preparation.

Lasting growth often begins long before it is seen.

3. Full Growth Needs Connection

The tallest trees on earth don’t survive on their own. Their roots reach outward, intertwine, and share strength and nourishment with each other. Trees planted in isolation or rigid rows are far more vulnerable than those growing in clusters.

Human flourishing follows the same pattern. We endure storms more steadily and grow more fully when we are joined to a larger, sustaining whole. When we are connected to others, stress eases, resilience deepens, and healthier lives take shape.

Some kinds of growth are only possible when we try growing together.

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📜2 Quotes

“He shall be like a tree deeply rooted alongside brooks of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and whose leaf never withers; and everything that he does will succeed.”
— Psalms 1:3

“The deepest-rooted dream of a tree is to walk / Even just a little ways, from the place next to the doorway — / To the edge of the river of life, and drink.”
— Joy Harjo, “Speaking Tree”

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❓1 Question

What person or life experience helped root a deep-seated sense of value or belief within you?

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“I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees.” — Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

Dr. Seuss understood that without trees, the landscape would be far less joyful, and, ultimately, our lives unsustainable. In learning how trees grow, we also learn how our inner growth unfolds unseen and how we grow more fully when connected to others.

Until next time,
Wishing you a week of steady growth, even in places no one else can see,

Rabbi Ze’ev Smason

P.S. Where in your life might unseen growth be quietly taking place?

P.P.S. Consider allowing Spiritual Sparks to branch out, sharing it with others.