Lessons from the forest.

I just got back from a couple weeks on some property that will be my homestead in the future.

When I live there fulltime I'm sure I'll have lots to tell about life on a homestead. However, today I'm going to share a lesson learned from the forest I was in.

Let's start by saying that it is a wild place full of all sorts of trees, bushes, and flowers.

wetland greenery overgrown.jpg

Now depending on who you ask many people would say the big trees are the star of the property. One's like this:

Now that great big cedar has been growing by the water for a long time. It is the largest and most majestic tree on the property and would have considerable value if cut down.

But perhaps the flowers are the stars of the show:

My wife in some fireweed

Or maybe its the berries that make it interesting

Saskatoon Berry

Highland Cranberry

Soapberry

Thimbleberry

Then again how about the edible mushrooms?

Bolete Mushroom

Or perhaps its the simple clover that makes it beautiful?

Unfortunately, sometimes plants are in the wrong spot or wrong situation so they can never reach their full potential. These trees are 20 years old but are barely as thick as my wrist.

In the end it really isn't any one thing that is the most important on the property.

The cedar is awesome but it can only grow near the water and starts off as nothing.

The flowers are nice but they are here today and gone tomorrow. When their bloom is done they have nothing left to offer.

The berries are nice because they have flowers and food together in a single package. However, they never grow large enough to protect the property from winds.

The mushrooms are nice but they simply can't grow unless there are other dead plants for them to feed on.

The simple clover never gets noticed but its flowers feed the bees which pollenate the other flowers and berries. Their roots make nitrogen for the soil with helps fertilize everything around them.

In the end it is everything working together and the diversity of the property that makes it beautiful and vibrant. Add a lot of hard work from the owner to make things orderly and viewable and it becomes even more beautiful still.

Today's actual lesson

The Hive Learners prompt for today is about "inferiority complexes" and have you ever felt like you aren't enough?

I for certain have suffered from feeling inadequate. As a husband, as a father, as an employee, as a person, there are so many others who are better at things than I am. How can I not feel inferior sometimes (if not a lot of the time!)

However, when I feel inferior I take a deep breath and step back a little bit.

I've been married for 25 years (almost). I bet some people who are struggling with their marriage may feel like that's an impossible task.

I have a university degree and attained top honors in high school and deans list at University. I'm certain that for people who are struggling in school looking at the person who got top honors would make them feel inadequate.

Sure my social skills suck. Yes, I'm clumsy physically. True I'm terrible at building and repairing things.

...... and that is OK.

Just like the plants in the forest there is no one plant that does everything well. Each has their own unique abilities and function.

It is just the same for people.

Some people are like Cedars. They start off small and grow into pillars of society, valuable and enviable. However, they are ideally situated in just one location.

Some people are like Flowers. They are beautiful to look at and admire. They add beauty to the world around them.

Some people are like the berry bushes. They feed and help the forest around them even though they will never attain huge status (like the Cedar).

Some people are like the mushrooms. They also feed and nurture those around by taking care of the garbage. It is certainly not glamorous like the berries or flowers but absolutely required to keep things running.

Some people are like the simple clover. Rarely noticed. Never growing to much. However, they care for the little ones (bees) and make everything around them better.

Some people unfortunately are put in a place where they can't thrive though and that is just sad. Like a cedar put in dry flats--it will never become what it should be. Like those pine trees placed too lose together--they will never have a chance to grow to their potential.