Perfect Poise, Perfect Life
Bring your body into balance and revolutionise your life
By Noel Kingsley
Publisher Hodder Mobius
AVAILABLE HERE
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Individual as an ancient oak
Ancient oak pollard in Bradgate Park Leics. by Archie Miles.
Sue Holden, Chief Executive of the Woodland Trust quotes in the spring Newsletter from the novelist Jeanette Winterson. There was a woodcutter who has three sons. The first was so strong that he could chop down an oak tree in a morning. the second was so skilled that he could plank up the wood in an afternoon. the third son was so small that he just collected the acorns. "And what is the use of that?" said his father. "You never know when you might need a forest," replied the son.
The UK is one of the least wooded parts of Europe yet it has probably more ancient trees than any other European country despite ancient woodland only accounting for 2 per cent of our land. Ancient oaks, yews and beeches can be found not only in woodland but alone in fields, in hedgerows, in churchyards and even at the foot of our road.
But what the story of our woodcutter reminds me of is that not only are his three sons quite individual with their own strengths and different skills, but so are we all. We all have our own attributes, strengths and abilities, be they in caring for others, nurturing, building, creating, challenging, leading, restoring, organising, inspiring, healing, teaching, discovering, inventing, selling, buying and any other ....ing you care to think of. We are all unique individuals; no better or worse than any other, we stand shoulder to shoulder with the highest and the lowliest. Indeed each of us is both the highest and the lowliest within ourselves, no matter our financial, social or hierarchical standing that some may perceive as measurements of position and success.
An ancient oak will stand large and strong in the centre of a field for all to see. An ancient oak surrounded by new saplings also stands out from the crowd. An ancient oak within a mixed wooded forest blends amongst its companions, barely distinguishable from all the other growth around unless one looks carefully. What is young once also becomes old, given luck with health in a supportive environment. We are just as unique as the trees that eventually grow ancient. And we are also just as unique as the three woodcutter's sons with their own individual strengths and characters.
It is sometimes worth remembering that you and I are unique, with beneficial and valuable qualities, even if they are not appreciated by all around. :-)
