As fall progresses, most trees slowly turn from green to varying shades
of red, orange, yellow or brown. The ginkgo tree works at turning
yellow. But while other trees slowly drop their leaves throughout the season,
the ginkgo tree is extremely subject to the weather. In a mild year, a
ginkgo will gradually turn yellow, and begin to slowly drop leaves like
other trees.
But then a frost comes some chilly night, whether it
be October or December, every ginkgo leaf will be on the ground the next
morning. The ginkgos object to the change of weather with every inch of
their being, abruptly, and en masse. With inborn solidarity they stand
bare the next morning in protest to this sudden drop in temperature. The more gradual approach adopted by deciduous trees could cause them to look with disdain on the more temperamental ginkgos. But as trees all doing as their temperament has dictated, they seem to continue on their separate courses without shunning one another.
Humans also have various ways of responding to crises. Some, who are in a gradual state of response, are not swayed from their course in a moment. And yet others, often in solidarity with those of like mind, may protest in a much more dramatic fashion.
Perhaps like trees, we should allow one another these differences, rather than policing their responses of others. Be like a tree. Allow others to be different.
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