More than a seed

 The tree is more than first a seed, then a stem, then a living trunk, and then dead timber.  The tree is a slow, enduring force straining to win the sky.  ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Wisdom of the Sands, translated from French by Stuart Gilbert. It is interesting how your education in the world grows. I had never heard of Saint-Exupéry until I lived in Argentina. One of my friends gave me a copy of The Little Prince in Spanish. Unfortunately, I didn't read until much later, but by then my Spanish was much improved and I understood the book. I am fascinated by the patterns in tree bark. They are like miniature worlds.