ふかふかの土に、ドングリが根を伸ばしていました。
ドングリは深く根を張った後に、芽になり幹になっていく部分を作っているようです。
その姿を見て
自分の体を支えられると自信を持ってから
地上から上の部分を作っていくんだね、
と、皆で話していました。
私はふと、20代の頃友人に言われた言葉を思い出しました。
自分に投資をしている？
と。
「投資＝お金をかける」
だと思っていて、当時は職業柄（バブル時代のテレビ俳優でした）、ファッションセンスを磨けだの、化粧をしろだの周囲から言われ、
そんなところにお金を投じるなんて自分らしくないとやや反発もしていたので、
友達の言葉を自分自身に当てはめて考えることはなかったように思います。
でも、頭のどこかにひっかかっていました。ずっと。
木は、ここと決めた場所に根を張ったら、一生そこから離れることはありません。その覚悟はたいへんなものです。
揺らぎない自分になるための、覚悟と自信、そして、環境。
それを得るための「投資」と言われていたのだなと、今更ながら思います。方法はいくつもあったはずです。
加えて言えば、この根には無数の菌がすでに共生しているらしく、
自分を支えるつもりの行為が、誰かの糧にもなり得るということですね。
何十年も前の友達の言葉をあらためて、ありがたくかみしめています。
A friend of mine showed me an acorn which had a long root.
I realized that at first, in its infancy, an acorn makes a root extending deeply into soft soil, and then it develops its parts which become the trunk and the leaves.
After observing and considering this further, we discussed that a tree grows up tall and strong only after it has the confidence to hold on firmly and stand up all by itself, first.
I was suddenly reminded of a word which my friend told me when we were in our 20s.
He asked me whether I invested in myself or not.
“Invest”?
I had misunderstood that to INVEST requires enough money.
At that time, I was an actress in TV dramas. In that situation and occasion a lot of people involved in my occupation advised me that I had better brush up my sense of fashion and apply make-up, and, outwardly present myself in a certain way and manner at every moment.
I was not such a type of person to concern myself with my external appearance. INVESTING in my appearance was not for me. That was a small rebellious streak and spirit I had in my character.
But my friend’s word has been in my mind for decades.
A tree doesn’t move forever, once it decides to put down its roots in that one place and position. And by doing so it states who it is, and what it intends to become. It thus so sends out the message of what it stands for.
I am a tree. I am here. I am strong. I am proud.
Its determination is resolute and powerful. It radiates strength and confidence.
A human needs such determination and strength not to be shaken by anything too.
Determination is developed and shaped by confidence and nurturing in a suitable environment. INVEST-ing in yourself is necessary too, to obtain certain desirable traits and qualities. This helps ensure you achieve and become everything that you could possibly be. Now, I can understand the meaning of my friend’s word.
About the acorn. The root has a lot of fungi on it. Confident and strong, standing tall and determined, the once small acorn, now a big strong sturdy tree, can proudly hold, nurture and support other lives.
Now, I thank my old friend deeply.
