Bonsai
I don’t need many things at this point in my life, but there is one thing that I absolutely couldn’t live without:
My bonsai tree.
Probably not what you expected to hear— but this tiny tree always teaches me timeless lessons.
At 40 years old, it’s got a lot of life experience, and tending to its growth is one of my favorite things to do.
While watering it yesterday, my youngest daughter, Cecilia, asked me this question:
“Daddy, will the bonsai tree ever grow to be as big as a house?”
“No, Cecilia,” I explained, “it never grows bigger than the pot it is planted in.”
As these words left my mouth, I felt like a tree struck by a lightning bolt of a lesson. It hit so hard that I almost split in half.
You, me… we’re no different than the bonsai in its pot—
Where we plant ourselves determines how we grow ourselves.
When it comes to bonsai, the right pot is a life-or-death decision:
Too big, and the tree’s roots are unstable. Even the lightest breeze will level it.
Too small, and the tree’s roots are strangled. Even the slightest overwatering will kill it.
But when the pot is just right— roots anchor, water flows, nutrients are absorbed… and growth results.
So what’s your pot like?
So big that it soaks up all the negativity and noise in the world?
So small that it confines your mindset and constricts your growth?
It doesn’t have to be either way.
Today, you can plant yourself, not bury yourself, in just the right pot.
See you there,
Joey
