I used to have a neighbour who was a doctor. He had planted many trees in his courtyard but he hardly watered them. As a result, the growth of the saplings was slow.
One day, I decided to call on the doctor and ask him why he was not worried about the growth of the young trees. He told me too much watering would spoil the trees since the roots would be used to getting water from the topsoil. By not watering the saplings often, the roots would have to go deep into the subsoil to look for water and nutrients. That enabled the trees to have deep roots and therefore better resistance to storms.
I went abroad after that and never saw the doctor again. A few years later, I came back and revisited the place where I used to live. I noticed a small wood which was not there previously. It was windy and cold. Most of the trees in the streets bent in the gale, too weak to withstand the harsh weather. But when I entered the doctor's courtyard, I saw the trees which he had grown standing steadfastly and firmly in the strong wind. The scene touched my heart and set me thinking.
Every night before I turned in, I would take a look at my children. Very often, I would pray that their lives would be plain sailing throughout, with no setbacks or failures at any point of time. I guess it is time I stopped doing that. Life is not a bed of roses. Setbacks and failures are inevitable, whether we want them or not.
I now pray that my children will grow with "deep roots", so that they will remain steadfast and brave in the face of adversity.
Feeds