What We Can Learn From Pine Trees

Leaving things behind that don’t work for us.

Blue and I were out for a morning walk a few days ago. I was surprised to find pine cones all over the forest floor. Curious about this phenomenon, I decided to see if I could do some quick reading to find an answer because this late winter dropping of pine cones seems unlike any that I remember. I learned that pine trees dropping their cones could be a reaction to changes in the climate. In years of drought, like last year, the trees will drop their cones. If there is ample rainfall, the trees will focus on growth instead of seed production. Looking at the rainfall totals for 2020, in my area, shows that we had received about 6" of rain less than our normal average. Someone with more expertise will have to tell me if I’m on track with this correlation.

I began to think about the things that we leave behind as I walked over the pine cones littered on the ground. Several times I’ve recently heard that

Imagining yourself as you would like to be in the future can be one of the most important things you can do to realize the change in your life.

The reason for this is because our own mind is often our worst enemy in sabotaging the very success we desire. When we imagine ourselves in the future we desire, we let go of excuses that hold us back from taking the very first step.

I have taken my first steps in practicing this new visualization of my future self and I have found it to be invigorating. I now see a path where it wasn’t clear to me previously. What does that exactly mean? I’m now giving myself time to develop the concept of what I actually want to be doing with the time I have during the day.

“The first step is the hardest” — the story of Saint Danis

The reason for thinking about how we spend our time is that there are many distractions in life. If I am intentional with setting a goal for myself, I will be able to prioritize things that support my vision for myself in the future. Without this framework, all distractions can be equally appealing and my goals will remain far from reach.

Does all of this seem abstract to you? Take a few minutes of time, without distractions. Imagine yourself in the future after having achieved one of your goals. What would that be like? What would it feel like? This should be motivation for you to try and take the first step towards achieving your goals.

Another important component is grit. As Angela Duckworth says in her TED Talk about Grit: The Power of Passion and perseverance, it’s not the talent but the perseverance that makes a difference in achieving your goals. I find that hopeful for everyone who was discouraged by not believing they had what it takes to be successful.

Getting back to the idea of the pine trees dropping their pine cones during periods of drought. The goal of survival makes the trees produce more pine cones rather than focus on the growth of the tree. Given the changes in climate (less water), growth doesn’t serve the tree. Like the tree, we can consciously decide which goals serve us best and stay focused on them by being intentional.

Fun facts about Pine Trees (from the MSU extention)

The longest-lived species is the Great Basin bristlecone pine. One individual of this species, dubbed “Methuselah” , is one of the world’s oldest living organisms at around 4,800 years old.

The spiral growth of branches, needles, and cone scales are arranged in Fibonacci number ratios (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55)

Pine cones and trees come from Gymnosperms and date back to prehistoric times. Gymnosperms are a group of plants who have naked seeds, not enclosed in an ovary.

All conifers produce male and female cones. Sometimes on the same tree, sometimes not. The pine cones we see are only the female cones. The male cones are much smaller and not showy. You may have never noticed them. The male cones release pollen, which drifts into the air and eventually finds and fertilizes the female cones.

Pine nuts are a good source of thiamine (B1), Vitamin K, magnesium, and protein. They are also one of the best natural sources for manganese, phosphorus and zinc.

Ancient Romans also associated pine cones with Venus, Goddess of love and fertility.

Linda Salzer is a Senior Network Engineer working to pivot towards a technical Product Manager position.