NURTURING OUR ROOTS, TOGETHER!
The giant sequoia redwood trees located in California are some of the largest and longest surviving organisms in the world—older than the English language and most of the world’s major religions. The General Sherman Tree is 275 feet tall, 100 feet in circumference, and known to be the largest tree on Earth, by volume, and is approximately 2,500 years old.
These trees can easily reach heights of 300 feet (91 meters). Among the redwoods, a tree named Hyperion dwarfs them all. The tree was discovered in 2006, and is 379.7 feet (115.7 m) tall.
One would think that a 350-foot-tall tree would need deep roots, but that’s not the case at all with the Sequoia Redwood trees. The sequoias have a unique root system that is quite amazing. They have shallow intertwining roots, which rarely reach more than about six feet below the surface. Their roots underground reach sideways and seek roots of other trees. When they meet the other roots, they intertwine and make a bond. Unity is their strength, with each tree giving support to each other.
Speaking to the august audience of London Business School, Sri Radhanath Swami reflects deeply on the important message nature has for humanity through these humongous trees:
In the Muir Woods, nature is giving humanity a very crucial lesson: that our real strength is in our willingness to care for and support each other. Wisdom is to understand this simple universal principle: In giving, we receive. By getting things, we make a living; by giving, we make a life. The spiritual evolution of a society can be understood, when people love people and use things. But all too often in today’s world, it is just the opposite. People use people and love things.
So, underneath the surface of these huge super structures stand interlocking roots like an army of soldiers who have their arms intertwined, literally holding and supporting each other. Only redwoods have the strength and ability to support other redwoods. Not deep, but wide, they live in an engaging embrace of each other!
What happens if you cut a redwood tree? Not only are the trees that are cut are destroyed, but the other redwoods that remain in the tribe often die. Without the missing trees to share water and nutrients, the remaining members becomes less healthy and sometimes cannot even survive.
The intertwining roots of the redwood trees present an excellent metaphor for productive community and a dynamic new business model!
However, the lessons these sequoias hold for us are universal, and go far beyond the precincts of corporate boardrooms. While we all need to “carry our cross,” we also need to help others carry theirs. Yes, indeed we are our brother’s and sister’s keepers!
Perhaps even in this Darwinian world, cooperation still presents a far robust model of sustaining us together than competition, both personally and professionally. Indeed, one is too small a number to achieve greatness, with a tip of the hat to Warren Bennis.
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