A long time ago, a thought came to me: “Water what grows on its own.” I can’t remember whether it was about selecting talent or about my own development.
At first glance, the phrase sounds strange. Questions arise.
Question 1: “Maybe there’s no need to water it if it’s already growing anyway?”
Here, what already exists gets devalued. The process of growth is taken for granted. As if, once it has begun, it will continue forever. But without water, even a mighty oak will wither.
Growth needs to be protected, favorable conditions created for it. Especially when potential has only just begun to sprout. Sometimes a photon of warmth and a drop of kindness are enough for something new to take root.
Question 2: “What if growth will come, but it just needs more patience and resources?”
In that case, limited resources are often wasted. A spoiled seed cannot bear fruit. You cannot save someone who does not want to be saved. Worse, stubborn help can become torture.
This is not an exact science. In each specific situation, everyone decides for himself. What matters is training your intuition to distinguish where Eros rules and where Thanatos does.
We are all gardeners, whether we want to be or not. We hold the hose in our hands. The water is already flowing. But where?
What growth are we encouraging in ourselves and in others?
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
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