Trees and Life
The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life. (Rabindranath Tagor, 19th-20th century Bengali philosopher)
People who plant trees must realize that much later others will appreciate them for their beauty, shade, or timber. A slave wrote, “He that plants trees, loves others besides himself.” Someone else suggested that we should be useful as a tree by giving life to others.” Trees are a witness to life, and our lives should be a witness to the best life possible, one lived for God and others.
[They who] delight in the law of the Lord … are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season (Psalm 1:2, 3).