Crooked is a feature, not a flaw

“Tree branches will grow to give the most leaves the most light, even if that means growing sideways… Part of the trade-off any tree has to make is between gathering light, staying stable in the wind, and succeeding against nearby competitors. So when branches grow crookedly, that’s part of a tree’s overall survival strategy.” (From EarthSky)

Maybe this is why people grow crookedly too, it’s a survival strategy. Bend away from the person who questioned why you like watching The Great British Bake Off. Bend towards the one who smiled at the way you added lemongrass to the stir fry. Know how running stabilizes you, how turning the phone off while you work is the portal to the magic, how the birds washing themselves in the shallow bowl of the Buddha fountain tickles your soul, how getting your writing done before anyone is awake allows your roots to be deep enough to withstand the winds of unexpected ride needs and homework needs and could-you-rub-my-shoulders needs and the insurance-will-lapse-if-you-don’t-get-this-paper-scanned-and-submitted-today needs.

Crookedness, when it comes to growth, is not a flaw, it’s a feature. Bend towards what roots you, what gets you the most light, what keeps you steady in the wind.

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