A French author, Jean Giono, wrote a book first published in 1953, The Man Who Planted Trees. I first listened to the book accompanied by the music of Paul Winters. What struck me then and now is the strength of the lead character; a man who felt called to plant trees simply because they needed to be planted. There was no obligation. There was no monetary compensation. Reward and recognition were not the reasons for this man’s conviction and action.
I am struck by how powerful the words and characters remain after so many years. It has been decades since I first found the used CD is a store in Pasadena California. I had not planned to be there. If not for a friend’s notebook with a hard disk failure, I would have been attending a conference in downtown Los Angeles. As it was, we shared an afternoon and evening walking the street of Pasadena waiting for his notebook to be repaired.
The opening lines of the book still take me deep into reflection.
“For a human character to reveal truly exceptional qualities, one must have the good fortune to be able to observe its performance over many years. If this performance is devoid of all egoism, if its guiding motive is unparalleled generosity, if it is absolutely certain that there is no thought of recompense and that, in addition, it has left its visible mark upon the earth, then there can be no mistake.”
This man made a difference. I hear an invitation, more of a calling to join the path. This is not to suggest that everyone should be planting trees, as good as that might be! As I read I hear a calling to discover how one fills in life’s gaps by doing what needs to be done in a spirit of love, compassion, and community. For me, it reflects the heart of Divinity. To the whispered calling, I find myself wanting to respond with the psalmist’s words; “Guide me down the road of your commandments; I love traveling this freeway!” (Psalm 119.35)
