Lessons in growth from the lone tree-planting shepherd

December 14, 2022

The Man Who Planted Trees is a magnificent and gently-told short story of a lone (but not lonely) shepherd whom the story's narrator meets in a barren wasteland. Living at the foot of the Alps, Mr. Elzéard Bouffier quietly takes on the task of planting one hundred acorns a day in an effort to reforest his desolate region.  He works alone with his hands, meticulously inspecting and planting each acorn.  And despite two wars, he managed to plant hundreds of thousands of trees.  Although the narrator eventually indicated that Mr. Bouffier is a fictional character, there are several takeaways from the story that we can bring to everyday business and life. 

First, attention is a precious commodity, and we need to be careful where we direct it.  Attention is one of the most basic forms of human energy.  To give one's attention is the most basic form of love; anyone who has raised children knows this.  Unfortunately, our collective attention is not where it should be.  It is in front of computer screen meetings, mobile applications that have completely mesmerized us and streaming news that projects images of constant destruction and negativity. 

Despite the value of our attention, many businesses are getting it for free, and doing a lot of harm in the process. Even if something we observe on our phones or on the news mobilizes us to action, we might quickly forget the urge once the next video or news bite comes up. What would happen if we stopped polluting our attention, and instead gave it fully to making a positive impact in our immediate world, however small that impact might be? 

Mr. Bouffier’s power was in his ability to ignore the troubles of the world, the wars and the petty politics surrounding him.  It was his ability to engage in an act that lead to his lasting happiness and the happiness of others.  From him, we see that the more our attention is taken from us, the less likely we are to invest it in the world around us.  Maybe there is a tree-planting shepherd in each of us, but we haven't been taught to do as such or even believe it. 

There were probably many people in Mr. Bouffier’s community who recognized the importance of tree-planting, and indeed knew more about agriculture and crop science than he did.  But he was the one who got up and did it, and kept doing it every single day. We learn from him that expertise or good intentions can never replace real action. Each acorn planted is more valuable than the biggest media campaign on saving the planet. 

Mr. Bouffier went about his work without looking for the validation of others or self-aggrandizement. He recognized the importance of the work itself rather than the individual carrying it out.  From him, we learn to not wait for recognition or individual reward to do something good for the world. 

Above all, Mr. Bouffier believed in the power of nature and time.  We can only measure time because of the consistency of the Earth turning and the sun rising and setting.  There is nothing truer and more undebatable than the passage of time.  And yet it’s the thing we often forget most.

Despite what people often say, time is not money. Time is a precious resource that we can never get back once gone. While money is a tool, generally subject to a fair amount of human interference, it is only a means of exchange of goods and services. It's not an end in itself, and we should be careful not to place too much value on it. 

Time is a limited, non-renewable resource. Once it's gone, we can never get it back. We only have a certain amount of time on this earth, and we can't make more of it. Each day that goes by is an opportunity to make our world better, from engaging in solidarity actions to reversing the effects of climate change.  Companies don’t need to wait for regulatory guidance to start doing their part.

Mr. Bouffier was in perfect harmony with his beloved countryside. “When you remembered that all this had sprung from the hands and the soul of this one man, without technical resources, you understood that man could be as effectual as God in other realms than that of destruction.” While he was focused on creation, it was not work to him. It was a natural extension of his life’s purpose, and he could only continue doing it at that scale because of the immense reward it brought him. 

He didn’t worry.  He just continued, determinedly pursuing his task in all its simplicity.  This is the biggest takeaway for me.  Humans can plant, but they can’t make things grow.  Only God, nature, the universe (however you prefer to call it) can do that. 

And planting more doesn’t make things grow faster!  Wind, water and sun will determine success.  The only recipe for real growth is planting, nature and time. Let us take Mr. Bouffier as an example, and remember that it is possible to make a real difference in the world through simple, continuous action.

Plant your tree. Do your part and leave it up to nature. If it’s meant to grow, it will. Se son rose, fioriranno.

CPM