While logging a few years ago, I helped to cut down a tree that was more then 200 years old. In counting the growth rings, we found one series covering eleven years in which the rings were barely discernable. These denoted a cycle of drought.
"The tree sure didn't grow much in that period," I said.
My companion was a wise, philosophical old uncle and he replied, "On the contrary, the tree probably never made more important growth then in those years."
He saw I was puzzled and continued: "It had to put its roots down farther and farther, year after year, to get nourishment where there was moisture enough to help it assimilate needed minerals. Now look here where the next rainy season began. Here are half a dozen years in any of which the tree expanded more then in all the eleven dry years. Why? Because of the deep unseen strengthening of the root system in the adverse years."
He let me think that over, and then concluded, "remember as you go through life, you'll have times when there'll seem no possibility of getting farther ahead. Then is the time to grow inside, and if you do, you will be amazed how you will expand when the right conditions prevail again. -Healthways
