Why Nurture The Root

11/10/2022

Have you ever contemplated the risk and rewards of each season?
It all starts with Spring when the seeds that germinated over winter or recently planted have a chance to grow and develop into a full plant.
The risk is that a strong root never develops hindering the well being of the plant and later on its fruits.
All that happens over time and just like in agriculture, to reap some fruit in life, there is no shortcut; we must wait for the tree to fully develop.

Audio:🗣

Dear Why Team member,
I hope this week's message finds you well, encouraged and enjoying the Fall season. This week we consider the importance of: Nurturing the Root.

Consider that to reap some fruit in life, there is no shortcut; we must wait for the tree to fully develop.

Five years ago, during a trip through southern Spain, I marveled at the vast quantity of olive trees; apparently, there are more olive trees in Spain than in any other country.
Depending on the olive desired, some trees can take more than 10 years to bear their fruit. This truth struck me. No matter how modern our modern world, no matter how fast our technology, some of the richest most nutritional fruit can come only with time and with years of nurturing the root. Consider your life and its fruits that only time can bring. It is important to nurture our root throughout our lives.
Why is it so important to nurture our root even in adulthood? Because the health of our root will determine the quality of our fruit - no matter our stage of life.

Consider how the fruit you bear feeds both you and others. And also, does not the tree of life invite us to lay down seed for others? Clearly there are those who feed life and those who more-so feed off of life.
No fruit, no seed?
Hmm, I love a good metaphor.

If the root of an olive tree is well taken care of, the tree could produce fruit for up to 1,000 years. Consider how the fruits you're bearing today could impact lives far beyond your own.
In what daily ways do you nurture your root? Of course our physical bodies need the obvious, to be watered regularly and fertilized with good food. But consider how you nurture the root of your thoughts. How much time do you invest caring for your mind and the root of your thoughts? Is your mental intake of good quality?
And if not, Why not?

Many people today aspire to develop physical health disciplines while giving little attention to the development of their mental health disciplines - it is difficult to maintain one without the other. When experiencing mental unrest, consider it an invitation to invest more time and attention into the root of your thinking - thinking that may be bearing less desirable fruit in your life and the lives of others; not as a negative, but simply as a call to give your thoughts more attention. When you note the drying leaves on your favorite house plant, do you not take a moment to provide water and maybe move the plant to a place that can gather more sun?!

Consider asking, "Why am I thinking what I am thinking? Why am I allowing this thought to upset my life? What gift of insight may I gain via a little watering and repositioning for more light on the subject?!
Is this not the work of a lifetime - to live, learn and grow?

Consider how we humans uniquely bear such diversity of fruit. And note that some of our richest fruit can only come with time and experience, taking many, many years to flower and ripen.

You and your life are of priceless value. As the old Chinese Proverb instructs:

“Nurture the Root and the Tree takes care of itself".

Be loving and nurturing to yourself. Blame not the world or circumstance for any unrest you may be experiencing, but rather get excited about the invitation that the unrest has called you to notice, to look within, an opportunity to nurture the root of you. Consider reading the book, "Loving What Is" by Byron Katie, for a simple series of questions to assist you with your inquiry.

Nurture the root of you, allow yourself time to ripen, and no doubt in time you will bear even richer fruit for you and those you seek to serve.

Make it a great week!

Steve Luckenbach

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