Friday, October 15, 2010

Reflections on Tree Growth

When you see two trees of similar size, you might assume they are roughly the same age. However, depending on environmental conditions (drainage, acidity, light levels, mycorrhizae) and each species' unique preferences, one could be young and thriving, while the other is much older but slow-growing. Both are well adapted, but circumstances will define who succeeds more. Then again, conditions can change. Bigger trees fall and open gaps in the canopy, water tables rise or drop, harmful insects and fungi fluctuate in abundance and affect tree species differently. Look at the rings of a felled tree. You will see decades where the rings are very close together because very little growth occurred, and decades where the rings are spaced apart because the tree was growing rapidly. This, my friends, is science for your life. Is your career or your lovelife stagnant? Stick it out. Good years could be around the corner. Are you thriving? Maybe you should invest in some capitol, marry a hot chic. Don't be surprised if things slow down. That's nature, that's life.
I have thrived at some pursuits, and struggled in others. I'm not a tree, though. I can get up and move. I can shift focus. The eternal question for this whimsical bachelor with an RV: Should I transplant, shift my career focus, or just keep grinding away. Only a bruja has the answer.

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