“The Man Who Planted Trees” by Jean Giono

[Carol Anne Kincaid~Paradis]

Overflowing Cup of Tea - Zen Koan

Overflowing Cup of Tea
The Zen Master poured his visitor's teacup full, and then kept pouring.
The visitor watched until he could no longer restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!"
"Like this cup," the Zen Master said, "you are full of your own opinions and assumptions. How can you learn truth until you first empty your cup?"
Zen Koans like the one above are insightful stories and questions that are designed to defy rational analysis, but provoke an "Aha" moment when the listener "gets it" - intuitively understands the teaching. Probably the best-known koan is, "What is the Sound of One Hand Clapping?"

“The Man Who Planted Trees” by Jean Giono 

“For a human character to reveal truly exceptional qualities, one must have the good fortune to be able to observe its performance over many years.”

Summary: “The Man Who Planted Trees” is a short story by Jean Giono, first published in 1953. The story is a fictional account of a man named Elzéard Bouffier, who lives in a remote valley in the French Alps and spends his life planting trees. Over the course of several decades, Bouffier single-handedly transforms the barren and desolate landscape into a lush and thriving forest, which has a profound impact on the surrounding environment and community

Theme: “The Man Who Planted Trees” highlights the power of individual action and the importance of environmental stewardship. The story emphasizes the transformative power of nature and highlights the impact that even one person can have on the world.

Moral of the story: The story shows that small actions can have a big impact on the world. It serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving and protecting the natural world, and of the power of individual action. It also encourages readers to take responsibility for the environment and to work toward a more sustainable and harmonious relationship with the natural world.

If you want to figure out how you feel about someone, try the ‘Two Beers and a Puppy’ test.

It comes from the book “Works Well With Others,” by Ross McCammon. Here’s how it works……

Pick a person in your life - a friend, coworker, cousin - and ask yourself two questions: 

Would I drink two beers with this person?
And……would you allow this person to look after your puppy for a weekend?
Some people are no and no. These people are to be avoided at all costs. 

Some people are yes and no. Yes to having a couple beers - no to the puppy. These people are to be cautiously trusted. 

Some people are no and yes. No to the beers - yes to the puppy. These people aren’t much fun but they make the world a better place - especially for puppies! 

And some people are yes and yes. These are wonderful people and your life is better for knowing them. Seek them out. Collaborate with them. Enjoy their company.

And, strive to be that person yourself.

And that’s the ‘Two Beers and a Puppy’ test. 

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