On my dog walks, I’ve noticed a tree that is big and beautiful and unusual in shape. I have a free app on my phone called Seek that identifies plants, insects, and animals for me, and the app says this tree is a Coast Live Oak. The leaves are different than the oaks I remember from Ohio, but the app tells me it’s a native California tree. This tree has been around for a long time, having sprawling thick branches that are low to the ground and perfect for kids to climb. But the reason this tree is still big and thriving is that the property owner has strategically placed supportive pipes below the large, low branches to support them and prevent them from breaking. As a result, the tree is healthy and flourishing.

Sometimes we need support like that, so that we don’t break under pressure and instead, continue to grow healthfully despite everything. Because somebody cared about that tree, it has survived, and having people to support and care for us when we need it is essential to our survival, too. We might think that we don’t need support, and we might survive without it. But I have to wonder if flourishing is possible without support. I doubt that Coast Live Oak tree would be thriving without support if it did manage to survive, and what beauty its flourishing brings to the world.