Wally the Walnut Tree
I’d like to take a moment to tell you about a friend of mine. I’ve named him Wally and he is a Walnut Tree. This walnut tree grows a small distance away from where my deck is. Now Wally is an old tree and one that I thought was dead. Seriously it was no longer growing leaves or bearing any sort of fruit, it was just kind of there in the yard a tall vine wrapped tightly around it. So when we had some workers come over to clear out some old brush and things I requested that they cut Wally down and grind out the stump. It was really the only humane thing to do – the tree was dead.
To my disappointment at the time, they had a problem with the chainsaw mixed in with the size of the tree; they really did not want to cut it down. The gentleman was very nice and calm when he explained to me that the tree was not dead as I had thought. They had removed the vine and that should help Wally out. Of course, I was nice while also thinking he was crazy, Wally was really no more.
Given Wally’s age its upper branches come over top of the deck and I was surprised one day when sitting outside reading that I had the shadow of a leaf dancing across my page. Since I know none of the other trees could manage this feat, I looked up and there much to my amazement I noticed Wally had sprouted leaves in his upper branches. By August they were just enough to provide some shade in the really hot summer sun. I was happy Wally was okay!
To my surprise Wally was not just okay he was really coming back to full Walnut-hood! Shortly after that same year he sprouted and dropped the walnut droops that are known for his type of tree. Wally had not done this for years; I did not even know it was still possible for him to do it. But there he was, in his own way, thanking me for taking off that vine, for giving him a second chance at a full long life.
So why am I telling you about Wally? Because there is Leadership examples all over nature. Nature shows us day in and day out the lessons we need to learn to lead. Every time I sit under Wally’s shade and look at his trunk I know what can happen when you let an external force get a strangle hold over you. Every time I pick up Wally’s droops to pile on the forest edge I am reminded to bear fruit so that those around me can grow.
Wally has shown me that just because something looks down and out, there maybe still some life in them yet and to not give up. Do what you can to help them succeed and flourish.
Leadership in Nature is truly all around us.
The pictures on this page are of Wally. You can see where the vine cut his trunk and the height he has gained over the years. (click for larger versions)
What would a Leader do?
~ Take a moment to look at your situation. Are you being strangled by another person’s point of view or demands? Are you loosing your life force because they are choking it out of you like that vine was doing to poor Wally? If so, make some changes, shed your vine and grow your own leaves once more.
~ Are you bearing fruit so that others will grow and nourish? While I do not eat the droops that Wally drops we have birds and squirrels that love it. The squirrels will peal away the flesh to get to the nut. The birds eat the flesh, the squirrels store the nuts for winter and nature’s circle is complete. Is your circle complete? What fruit are you providing to those you lead?
~ Is someone around you being choked by their own vine? Can you help free them from it so that they will grow and flourish into what they were meant to be?
~ Look at my store for Nature of Leadership resources.
