Today on the walk to school, we wondered how the trees know when to stop growing. Why do all the trees before us stop at the same height like that? What determines how high they grow? I didn’t know the answer, so of course, I must find out.
I learn that trees want to grow high–to be the tallest, best, biggest, fullest, and the first to receive all the sunlight–but they often can’t for one reason:
According to LiveScience.com, at a certain height, it’s no longer “cost effective” for a tree to keep growing. I learn that when ” the energy the [leaves at certain heights] bring in through photosynthesis doesn’t pay for the energy it costs the tree to bring the leaves water, then the tree stops growing.”
There’s my answer. The tree stops growing when it’s too costly to do so.
I think about opportunity costs and professional and personal growth. It seems so attractive and prestigious to achieve certain things, but really, sometimes it’s not worth it. What you gain doesn’t match what you’re losing. What you bring in doesn’t make up for what it costs to replenish you.
I think about how God knows just what heights we will reach. We’re where we are because it might cost us too much otherwise.