Time to Prune

As winter sets in, it's time to inspect our bushes and trees for potential pruning opportunities. Pruning revitalizes the plants - allowing it's future leaves to make more energy, allowing more flowers and therefore more fruit, but you don't prune a little tree, do you? No, in it's first years you allow the little ones to take root first. You let them be creative with their branches and you don't over correct.  Our three year old is not unlike a young tree. We have never cut his hair. We have done our utmost to protect him from the difficulties of growing up. We relent to more snuggles, more time to play, as much food as he wants. And now it's time to prune. When we clip his hair for the first time, we aren't harming him, but we will begin the lifelong process of helping him to improve himself. We'll have higher expectations of him. He'll begin to understand the importance of becoming a responsible and productive person.