“Life lessons from a tree… after chasing it for
41 years.”
Abstract
For 41 years, I chased life like it owed me answers — careers, relationships, health goals, even a cleaner desk. Then, one afternoon, a tree quietly ruined my hustle. It had everything I’d been sprinting toward: growth without rushing, balance without calendars, and peace without Wi-Fi. This is the hilariously honest story of how a leafy bystander taught me that you don’t find life’s meaning by chasing it… you grow into it.
Let's Dive In
Let me confess something: for most of my life, I’ve been running as most of us does.
Every human today is tired.
Some are tired of work.
Some are tired of financial problems.
Some are tired of relationships.
Some are tired without even knowing why.
I was the same. For years, I kept asking:
Why is life like this? Why can’t things just be smooth?
So, I’ve been running.
Not actual marathons — but running after something.
Things. Success. Approval and Not one, the list goes on.... The perfect future. And once… an ice cream cart that disappeared before I could catch it. And occasionally… my phone, because I forgot where I kept it.
At 41, I thought I had some wisdom.
Instead, I had dark circles, back pain, and a bank of stories beginning with “Once, I was in a hurry…”
I was convinced that if I moved faster, thought harder, and planned better, life would finally say, “Congratulations, you win!”
but, it never said that.
Then came The Tree Moment.
It was just an ordinary afternoon.
I was sitting under a tree, sulking about some delayed life plans, when I noticed:
The more I thought about it, the more I realized trees have it figured out:
- Storms? They don’t run. They stand still and hold on.
- Pests? They endure — and still bloom later.
- Loss? They shed and move on.
Humans? We get a small problem and suddenly start writing emotional Facebook posts.
It wasn’t on Social media, comparing its branches to other trees.
It wasn’t scrolling for “5 hacks to grow leaves faster.”
It wasn’t even moving!
Atleast, doesn't expect an applause or a reward.
And yet… it was growing. Strong. Calm. Trusting the seasons.
Intellectual recognition by the Tree:
"Neither an applause nor a reward makes us live. Just breathe to live."
“Life is not in a hurry… you are.”
I thought of my own “seasons”:
Career Season:
I once dreamed of becoming The Medical Professional — you know, the kind of person with innovative treatment plans, a polished surgical equipment, and maybe even a clinic that stays alive in patients mind.
Now? I’m surprisingly happy doing what I do, even if my “big accomplishment” for the day is cleaning my desk stacked with books, papers, and that mystery pen that disappears and reappears like a magic trick.
Relationship Season:
Never imagined it would turn out the way it did.
But somehow, things are moving on their own — without my control, without my deep strategic thinking — yet in perfect coordination, like a dance where I don’t know the steps but still don’t step on anyone’s toes.
Not disgusted. Not disappointed. Actually… well.
Health Season:
Planned to be fit enough to do all my work with energy.
But some days, even breaking a block of instant noodles feels like weightlifting, and churning a bar of soap in my hands feels like an upper-body workout.
Turns out, my body also runs on seasons — and sometimes it chooses “low battery mode” without warning.
Meanwhile, me?
"I’ve been running around like a phone on 1% battery looking for a charger."
If I work hard and see no results, I start rearranging my entire plan like a confused interior designer.
If life gives me a delay, I check the calendar twice — just in case the universe forgot the deadline.
"If my plants take forever to bloom, I sit next to them like we’re both waiting for rain in a desert.”
The Tree’s Whisper:
The message was simple:
“Do the work in front of you.
Prepare for what’s far away.
Trust the seasons.”
Now, I’m still human. I still have bills and dreams and random 2 a.m. worries.
But I’ve started growing like a tree:
🌿 Standing strong.
🍂 Letting go of nonsense.
🌸 Blooming when it’s time.
Because I finally realized:
🌟 “The meaning of your life won’t arrive faster if you chase it. But it will arrive if you live it.”
Final Takeaway
"Turns out, life’s meaning doesn’t need chasing — it’s already sitting beside you, quietly waiting for you to stop running long enough to notice."
#LifeLessons #MidlifeMusings #FindingMeaning #SlowDownToGrow #HumorAndWisdom #EverydayPhilosophy #LifeInSimpleWords #LiveFully #LifeReflections #MindfulLiving #SimpleJoys #StoryOfLife #LaughAndLearn #LifeWithHumor #MidlifeStories #PersonalGrowthJourney #LifeEpiphanies
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