The Oak Sleeps In The Acorn

There is a famous quote by British Philosopher James Allen, which has always stuck with me. It’s a longer quote, but one phrase within it, “the oak sleeps in the acorn”, has always been so powerful.

For someone who has grown up around oak trees, it is mind-blowing to think about how these trees once started as little acorns. They were not always the indestructible masses that can withstand hurricane force winds, survive lightning strikes, make it through floods, and everything in between. They were once fledgling acorns, whose entire future was dependent on the squirrels not finding it. So weak, that one errant footstep could stop the little acorn’s future right then and there.

So how do acorns grow and why is this important? Acorns grow for a variety of reasons, proper sunlight, ample access to water, and mineral dense soil, take one of these factors and our little friend will not make it to be a powerful oak tree. Constrict the sunlight and what you will get is a weak, feeble tree. Too little water and you are going to see the same result. Although, they are hardy trees later in life, in the early years they are especially fragile.

We are like acorns.

When you think of successful people you see them now as strong oak trees. It is tough to believe that these people started as fragile acorns. So, how did they become oak trees? Was it luck? Was it hard work? Was it timing? It’s a mix.

Let’s think back to the acorn. Luck is a huge factor. If the acorn falls off the tree and lands right square in a groundhog hole, chances are high that the acorn isn't going to grow big and strong. Bummer. On the other hand, if the acorn falls on a nice piece of fertile soil that gets 8 hours of direct sunlight and has a great amount of water. That acorn is on the path to becoming an oak.

Oak trees are very unique trees because they aren't always manicured and perfect. A lot of times they are gnarled, with branches going every which way, oaks fight to survive and their figure shows it. In congested areas trees fight with each other to get as much sunlight as possible. It is not uncommon to see oaks whose branches stretch out 30 feet, in my eyes, this showcases their hard work.

Timing is another critical aspect when determining if an acorn will survive. If an acorn falls off in December in upstate New York, chances are high that the acorn will not sprout in the 4 feet of snow conversely, if an acorn falls in spring. The chances of success go up dramatically.

So what does this all mean?

Growing is an active act. Simply being an acorn isn't going to result in you becoming an oak tree. You have to try. Luck, hard work, and timing on their own are all worthless. In order to grow, they have to happen together. The good news is that luck and timing are all around us, we just have to seek it out through hard work.