A TREE GROWS IN NYC — AND THE TREE IS YOU “Look at that tree growing up there out of that grating. It gets no sun, and water only when it rains. It's growing out of sour earth. And it's strong because its hard struggle to live is making it strong. My children will be strong that way.” (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith) ROOTS Before a plant even sprouts, its roots have begun to grow. You may not see those roots, but they ensure the plant is strong. We all have “roots” — people who came before us in order for us to sprout. Who, and where, do you come from? What beliefs make those roots strong? SOIL The soil a seed is planted in should be healthy, full of vitamins and nutrients that help a plant grow and thrive. Our homes, neighborhoods, and communities are the “soil” we have been planted in. What good things do you notice about that soil? WATER All plants need watering, frequent care, and nourishment. Water allows the plant to make food and transfer nutrients. We have been placed in the care of others who “water” us, nourishing us physically and emotionally each day. Who are the people that sustain you each day? How do they nourish you? SUNLIGHT Plants need sunlight to grow. Some plants prefer to be directly in the sun, while others only need a few hours of sun per day. Many plants even turn their “heads” toward the sun. We also need “light” in our lives, things that bring us joy and warmth. We may even turn our heads toward those moments of light. What in your life makes you feel “lit up”? Do you wish you had more of it?
Pirkei Avot 3 Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah...used to say: one whose wisdom exceeds his [good] deeds, to what may he be compared? To a tree whose branches are numerous but whose roots are few, so that when the wind comes, it uproots it and overturns it... But one whose [good] deeds exceed his wisdom, to what may he be compared? To a tree whose branches are few but roots are many, so that even if all the winds in the world come and blow upon it, they cannot move it out of its place...