The Root and the Tree

Frequently we see people come to a place of prominence or pre-eminence in some particular profession. But what we frequently fail to see is the groundwork, the long growth, the prolonged preparation that goes into the making of a man⎯the discipline, the study, the work and the waiting to achieve solid success.

Of course there are some who have a sudden flare of seeming success, of publicity and prominence. There are some who seem to mushroom with little groundwork to explain their growth. But men don’t suddenly acquire an earned eminence without a long period of preparation.

We may see a majestic tree, and much admire it, but what we seldom see is the root system. Below the ground is as much or more of sustaining strength and substance than there is above the surface. There is always a price to be paid for putting roots down deeply. And though it may seem otherwise, men simply don’t suddenly acquire the qualities of success.

Of course there are political accidents and unearned increments; there are engaging personalities; there are people who catch popular approval; there are some who seem to have an undeserved success. But before we could be sure even of these, we should want to see something of what went into the making of such men.

(And even beyond what we see of the present picture, we should need to know something of the eternal root system, something of the premortal past, before we could say with sureness what was or was not an undeserved success. There may be and doubtless are qualities that come with us as we enter the mortal scene. When a young prodigy plays the piano, when a small child shows great gifts, there is evidence that he brought with him here, endowments which some of us don’t have. But this is departing upon a parenthetical thought.)

As to the present picture: The long period of preparation, the long hours of patient practice, the consistent unseen effort, are vastly important in the making of a man. When we see and admire the lofty tree, we may know that there are unseen roots that make it great and keep it growing. And a man, also, for all he is, is much more than can be seen on the surface.