Posted on by Belinda O

A Time to Plant

Can’t see the forest for the trees.

I think that’s human nature, getting so caught up in the details of an issue that we don’t see the bigger picture. And sometimes that bigger picture is beyond the scope of our understanding. It might take years before we fully comprehend all that there is to know about a particular situation.

When multiple parties are involved, each with their own stake in what’s going on, it can be hard to understand the bigger picture. You know there’s a forest out there — heck, you’re smack dab in the middle of it — but all you can see are the trees, the facts that don’t necessarily seem to tie together.

But somehow they do.  Not necessarily in an orderly fashion, and at times the meaning remains obscure long after we leave those trees behind. That doesn’t mean there isn’t good in that forest.

It also doesn’t mean there isn’t bad. Sometimes the hard cold truth is people did things they simply shouldn’t have done, and their actions have an unfortunate impact in your life, or the life of someone you love. Sorting through that remains a challenge.

Those are the times you have to bring the good to the forest. Plant your own trees, and watch them grow. Take charge of the world around you. It doesn’t mean everything will suddenly be good and the pain will disappear, but it’s good to take control.

I know some of you are facing situations where you have little control — illness or injury, for example, that may or may not be treatable — and these words may sound trite. For that I apologize.

But few of us are 100 percent victims of our circumstances. There is a time for mourning, and a time for giving thanks. And a time for planting trees.

Image Credit: ©sara_winter – stock.adobe.com

 

Forest

13 Replies to “A Time to Plant”

  1. I see what you’re saying about getting control and yet – I feel like my challenge is to relinquish trying to control things. Acceptance seems to be a larger part of my world and letting go is something I’m constantly working on.
    But I appreciate your thoughts and insights!!

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    1. Judy, maybe “take charge” would be the better term. Controlling your life — in the manner I’m referring to — is a different kind of control. I believe you shine in this area, and your music is a way of planting trees.

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  2. Pingback: Far beyond the Forest and the Waves! – Nicolas Heartmann

  3. Thank you for this reminder: “And sometimes that bigger picture is beyond the scope of our understanding. It might take years before we fully comprehend all that there is to know about a particular situation.” I sometimes this this is true for all of our lives here on planet earth — that there are patterns and feedback loops (much more vast AND also much more microscopic than we can imagine or understand) unfolding every moment…

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  4. Oh, Belinda—even if you have an illness or injury, you still have control. You are so spot on with taking control. I probably ‘planted trees’ more in the past two years than I have in my entire lifetime! Not ‘my way or the highway’ but no one is gonna steamroll me, either. Good words in this post!

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