03/12/2026
I live in the Cross Timbers of Oklahoma, surrounded by trees. From my office window I can see them all—standing quiet, doing what they’ve done for generations.
A week ago a few of them decided spring had arrived. The Japanese maples and some others pushed out their buds, eager to greet the warmer days. They seemed convinced winter had passed.
But not the oaks.
The oaks simply wait.
They stand there bare and patient, as if they understand something the others don’t. Living in Oklahoma teaches you that a warm afternoon in March doesn’t mean winter is finished. Sure enough, this morning the freeze came again.
The oaks knew.
They don’t rush toward the first sign of warmth. They wait until the season is truly ready. And when the time is right, they produce strong leaves that cover the branches and cast deep shade across the land during the long, hot summer.
There’s a lesson in that.
In life, some things look ready before they truly are. Some moments tempt us to rush forward just because the weather feels warm for a day. But strength often comes from patience—from waiting until the season is truly right.
Sometimes the wisest thing we can do is be like the oak: stand firm, watch carefully, and trust that when the time comes, growth will happen exactly when it should.
