On my usual walk, I pass a tall established tree. Last week, I noticed a crack in the bark about 3 feet long and stopped to examine the trunk. The tree was strong, the split didn’t stop any growth, and eventually the bark grew back together.
Lately, I find myself engaged in frustrating conversations about our communities’ divisiveness. These conversations sometimes reveal my imperfections in being able to understand people’s worth and value. Not wanting to accept others, and their cracks, I impulsively leap to the old standby that we can lead horses to water. If others are stuck in their own thinking, then they will not learn or accept a different idea. But not exploring others’ ideas and concerns, I realize that I too am not learning or accepting others as they are.
When I saw that tree’s crack, I wondered. How did it keep growing? Did the owner nurture the split in the tree? Did the tree survive and grow despite its situation?
That crack is only one moment of the tree’s life; somehow, the tree kept on and healed.
That tree trunk helped me mend my thinking. I may not always understand or agree with others, but I can accept them as they are, people who also have cracks and will continue to grow with them. Once we identify our gaps, it’s easier to fill them.
I’m Elsa Glover and that’s my perspective.
