The giant Sequoia trees in California truly are astounding with their firm foundations that grip tightly into the forest floor, but with shallow roots, with little depth. Constantly challenging the natural elements and fighting off destruction, the giant Sequoia is “king of the forest.” Its majestic roots seem to permeate the Earth’s soil to form a sinuous life base covered with a protective bark, as a suit of armor protecting them from the elements, yet, with a very shallow grip. These trees are so sturdy and strong that eventually they become their own worst enemy. For you see, the Sequoia can resist lighting, fire, wind, and Mother Nature, but eventually their roots cannot support their own weight and strength. After hundreds or thousands of years, they tumble to the ground like giant skyscrapers that have fallen from their pedestals after powerful explosives are detonated.

In many ways, many are like those giant Sequoias, so proud, so vain, so vile, so strong, withstanding earth, wind, and fire, yet not allowing our roots to seek deep into life’s meaning. Many people have only shallow roots in soft ground, leaving them constantly on the edge of toppling over to their destruction.

The first step is to anchor ourselves with the firm intention of establishing strong roots of philosophical integrity. We must trust the ground we stand on, and allow ourselves to plant the rich seeds of passion into our life’s soil, nurturing it with the rain of love and joy, then allowing the shank to soak into the very veins of the roots, leading to the trunk’s healthy development. We’ve all seen many men with a strong trunk but no roots. They place the material dimension of wealth and finance above their own roots and foundational beliefs. They become so heavy with possessions, money, and the burden of wealth that they topple over as easily as dominos fall.   It’s a horrendous sound, — the explosive sound of failure. It’s magnified to the heavens with a deafening tone as deafening as when the mighty Sequoia uproots itself and self-destructs.

Glen “Coach” Sefcik