The Power of Nurture

My husband and I planted a tree in our front yard nearly a decade ago.  It had about a four inch diameter trunk, but after a few years it struggled.  The leaves withered each year and moss began to grow on the trunk.  The tree was barely alive with minimal growth.  We wondered if we would have to chop it down. 

I noticed our neighbor’s tree was huge.  It was planted at the same time but it was growing, the leaves green, it was full and plush.  After some investigation, I learned the secret of their tree’s success.  They nurtured it!  They fertilized it each year and treated the leaves to prevent the bug infestation.  It wasn’t obvious at first, but years of nurturing paid off and it was noticeable a decade later.  I guess trees need more than just water.

My husband and I took on the challenge of nurturing our tree back to health.  We fertilized it each year and sprayed the leaves.  The tree came back and began to grow. The past few years, the leaves have been green and plush.  It is still smaller than our neighbor’s tree but it’s thriving now.

After our tree began to recover, I heard a message from “Living on the Edge” about the importance of the role of a mother; a mother should nurture, protect, and provide for her children (in that order).  I thought about my kids and my own goals.  I pondered the idea of nurture and wondered the difference it could make in their lives.  I made a commitment to do my best to learn how to nurture them.   In the short term, it’s not flashy or rewarding but it will produce thriving in the future.      

So here’s to the value of nurture - every day I look out at the tree in my front yard and I am reminded how the small things add up to make a big difference.