The little Maple volunteer, making it’s way toward light from underneath the canoe caught my attention this summer. It was rooted in a place that would not bode well for its survival. So I replanted it in good soil, placed it into a bright spot and it has been a happy little responder, even giving me another set of leaves. Right on schedule though, it changed with the cooler weather.

And I wonder now if I should bring it in. It was 11 degrees this morning. So I did a little reading about these kinds of things. It turns out that if I protect this seedling by sheltering it inside that the tree will die of exhaustion. It needs dormancy. It needs to slowly harden in the colder weather so that it can stay alive. I will need to watch the freezes so the roots can still get some moisture, but mostly this little tree I am training needs me to stay away and let it be as it chills.

This has me thinking about life cycles, about the nature of progression, about renewals that come only after certain periods, about expectations, about what is happening beneath the surface when signs look otherwise.

I cannot make this development happen. I am watching and I am wondering as I think about alot of other things I want to help develop. This little unlikely sprout is a good teacher.