The tree stood perilously along the edge of the cliff. He was but a young sapling, but there was something inside him that knew he was in a dangerous position. A stiff breeze and he would go over. Just the right number of birds would cause him to topple. And that’s not even mentioning the heat.

He was thirsty. There were only a few droplets of water that were coming up from the depths – not enough to sustain him. Not during the inevitable heat to come. He had no choice – he knew he had to go deeper, so he stretched his roots.

Day after day he stretched. From time to time as the roots continued downward, he thought he had found a settling place. He thought, at least for a while, he had found the stability he was looking for. But each time he found the ground to be shallow. Infertile. Without the true minerals and life-sustaining power he needed. So he continued on. He continued deeper.

There were long days and nights of wondering whether he would ever reach the bottom. But on he stretched. Digging. Stretching. Until one day, he came at last to firm ground. Ground that was wet and drinkable. Ground that felt good and right to plant himself.

It had been a long journey down. But having drunk deeply of what he found there, he knew that he had found what he had been looking for – something that would sustain at last. And the tree knew there was something to be learned from his experience…

Stretch until you find that which is unshakable. Then plant your roots and stay.