Bamboo Tree

I don't know why but the bamboo tree holds a special attraction for me. 

I love the way bamboo trees look. I love the way the leaves, all bunched together, seem to appear magically out of nowhere. I love how high these trees can grow. I admire the trees strength and tenacity. 

Check out our wallpaper in the house.

And the bamboo at Greenbelt.

The other day, MacGyver and I were discussing how our children each face different challenges. MacGyver mentioned that he wanted to cite the bamboo tree as an example of flexibility and strength to them since the bamboo tree is able to weather strong storms and winds.

Well, as I was looking for a story on the bamboo tree, I discovered that the bamboo tree is more commonly used to illustrate persistence and success.   

I liked this particular one.

Prepare the ground, plant a small bamboo seed, water it, and fertilize it for a whole year, and ... except for a tiny sprout ...

Nothing happens!

Continue to water it regularly, and fertilize it for a second year, and then to your amazement ...

Nothing happens.

You'll peer at it from all sides to discern if perhaps from some hidden place, something is growing?

Nothing happens!

Year Three ... Water it, fertilize it, lovingly clear the weeds away, and then ...

Nothing happens.

How discouraging! You planted your seed with love and hope. You obtained the best soil. You watered it faithfully and gave it your best fertilizer.

Your reward?

Nothing happens!

Year Four ... Water it, fertilize it, continue to care for the precious seed you planted and ...

Nothing happens.

You look around, noticing all the other plants in the garden have grown in leaps and bounds, stunning the eyes with their vibrant growth and life, gladdening the heart!

But from your precious bamboo seed?

Nothing happens!

For four years you'll see nothing, except a tiny shoot sprouting from a bulb, no bigger than it was the first year. You can sing to it, encourage it, challenge it, get angry and throw up your hands in frustration.

You'll want to pounce on it and stomp the life out of it!

Then just when you're ready to call it quits and lay down your watering can ...

sometime during the fifth year ...

GROWTH!

In the six weeks that follow, the Chinese Bamboo tree grows as much as three feet per day, until it grows to be NINETY FEET TALL!

Life is often like the Chinese Bamboo tree. It is discouraging. We seemingly do things right, and nothing happens. We pay the price to prepare the ground, to plant the seed, and to faithfully fertilize and cultivate, to water and week, and still we see no results ...

Nothing Happens!

But during the long years when there are no visible results, the bamboo tree was developing a mature long reaching root system that would sustain and nurture its explosive growth.

This extensive network of roots takes four years to develop before the tender bamboo shoot ever breaks ground and heads for the sun.

For those who continue to do things right are not discouraged, for those who are persistent, rewards will follow.