“Nanna, why have you got an apple tree on your desk?”

Good question!
(Emma’s nine, so she got the shorter explanation. I’ll try to explain further for you)

As you know, I like to take my lessons from nature. I’ve found there’s always something new to learn when we listen. Sometimes the lessons are mine alone; some I share in my books, and some arrive through other people and sources; just like the message that prompted me to go in search of an apple tree model to plonk on my desk.

When I was writing about our potential in ‘Crown of Fire’, I used the apple seed as a analogy for our natural giftings. So of course my ears pricked when I heard transformational speaker Kyle Cease speaking about apple trees and how they relate to our creative spirits and the way we show up to gift them to the world.

We have gifts for the world?
Of course we do.

Everyone does.
It could be our creativity, our kindness, our skills and talents, being a great friend, being a whiz in the kitchen, or the best parent ever. We’ve all got something that makes the world a better place, and it comes naturally to us, with no need for forced striving. It’s just what we do.

Now, let’s head back to the apples.
In its most basic form, an apple tree provides apples for the world. It’s what it does without trying. It’s the job it was designed for. But the real beauty of the apple tree lies in its innate generosity.

An apple tree creates its apples with no care about any other tree’s apples; whether they’re smaller, bigger, or more colorful. There’s no comparison lurking within its branches because it’s simply creating what it is here to create, and its only concern it the quality of the apples IT produces.

When the ripened fruit is ready for the world, it feeds hungry bellies, satisfies tastebuds and delights eyes.
Some pieces may fall unnoticed to the ground.
The best of its fruit might taste sour to some, and come under intense scrutiny for its size, shape, and color. Not everyone is thrilled with this tree’s apples; some people might be quite vocal about it too.

Yet what does the apple tree do the following season?
It does what comes naturally to it; what it has been gifted to do, unswayed by either praise or disapproval. It concentrates on producing the best apples it can.

Nanna, why is there an apple tree on your desk?    

“It reminds me to stay true to my calling, to always do my best work, and to do it fearlessly.”