Why should you plant a tree?

This morning when I woke up here in New Jersey, it was a brisk 22 degrees outside. While this is not very cold compared to other locations in the country, it was one of the colder days here.

On my drive to work, I noticed the NJ Transit workers out doing something at the local railroad crossing. I did not envy them working in the cold and that reminded me of something that happened during one of the hotter days this past summer.

That day, it was probably 93 degrees with 99 percent humidity. I had the air conditioning in the car on high just to stop the sweat rolling down into my eyes. If it had not been so hot, I probably would not have paid any mind to the older man taking a small tree out of the back of his pickup truck.

I could see him struggling as I was approaching, and I couldn’t believe he was working so hard in the heat. Just as I was passing, the tree slipped and toppled over.

This gentleman looked like he was in his 80s at best so I decided to pull over and give him a hand. I got out of my car smiled and asked, “Can I give you a hand?”

He smiled back and said, “Thank you young man.”

As we were getting the tree in to the wheel barrow I asked him, why he was working so hard in the heat.

His reply surprised me.

He told me that he had sold his home to his grandson, and that he was moving the next day. I looked at him puzzled. “If you’re moving from this home tomorrow, why are you planting this tree today?”

The old man pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket wiped his brow and motioned to his front steps and we both sat down.

“I’m not planting the tree for me” he said, “I’m planting it for my grandson and his family.”

“My grandson has a young daughter and she will grow with this tree. As they both grow older, this tree will provide shade for her to play under. And one day when she is an adult, it will produce fruit which she can pick and use to feed her family.”

I marveled at the foresight and thoughtfulness of this gesture. We talked a bit longed and then I helped him get the tree into the backyard and I left.

This story, of course, is a retelling of an old parable with an important lesson.

The seeds of kindness that we plant today, will grow well beyond our time and will affect generations.