Supporting a tree into full treeness...!

Outside the class room that we taught Spiritual Formation for six years a tree was planted and I was struck by the obvious and the irony.

The conditions for growth maintained and nurtured for a young tree that will continue in growth as its roots go deep. The stage of growth requires careful staking out, to support when it would be buffeted by wind and rain, ironically strengthening the roots and its treeness!

Perhaps the least obvious is the most important, the rubber binding that allows for some give in the strongest of winds. The temptation would be be to go with something a little more rigid and seemingly strong, the comfort perhaps of a plastic tie.
 
But that rigidness would just cut, choke and deform the beauty of potential.