Article
The backdrop for countless hellos, goodbyes, and photographs, a magnificent 150-year-old red oak tree near the entrance of a Michigan university welcomed visitors for many years. And then, in a July windstorm, it crashed to the ground, leaving a large hole in the campus treescape. But that wasn’t the end of the story.
Some years before, the university’s grounds director was making his rounds when something caught his eye. “Looking around the oak, I discovered little trees coming up,” he remembers. “Acorns were still attached to the root.” He harvested some of the seedlings, transplanted them on his property, and nurtured them as they grew to 20-foot mature trees. Today, one fills the space the original oak left behind.
Have you ever considered, like that red oak, you have a legacy taking root right now—one that has the potential to provide joy and beauty for generations to come?
Here are three “acorns” that can grow into something lasting:
- Your stories. You’ve been shaped by people and experiences. Your loved ones need to know about both. The wisdom you’ve gleaned over the years can encourage, challenge, and even change the course of someone’s life.
- Your values. When you take the time to talk about the principles and purposes that guide your life, you’re passing on a gift that will continue to bear fruit in the lives of your family and friends.
- Your generosity. What causes are you passionate about? What organizations do you volunteer with and give to? Your investment of time and resources makes a difference in the here and now—and will impact lives long after you’re gone.