21/04/2026
I am proud to be a forester, and over the years I have drawn some of the most powerful life lessons from a tree.
A tree grows in two directions at the same time - upward and downward.
The part that grows upward is drawn to the light. Scientists call this phototropism. It is the visible part: the branches, the leaves, the flowers, and eventually the fruit. It is what people admire.
But at the same time, another part of the tree grows downward into the soil. This is gravitropism. It grows away from the light, into darkness, through damp soil and resistance. It pushes through stones and compact ground — unseen, uncelebrated, but absolutely essential.
Interestingly, this downward journey often begins first.
Before a tree can rise into the light, it must first learn to grow in the dark.
Yet when people admire a tree, they rarely speak about the roots.
Life is no different.
Many admire the phototropic side of your life — the visible success, the achievements, the leadership roles, the fruits. But very few see the gravitropic journey — the struggles, the quiet discipline, the resistance you pushed through, and the foundations built when no one was watching.
Nature reminds us of a simple truth:
The strength we see above the ground is sustained by the work done below it.
So when you admire someone’s fruits, remember — long before the branches reached the light, the roots were patiently growing in the dark.
Never admire the fruits without respecting the roots.
