“Whoever tends a fig tree…”

Last week, as I sat in my quiet time in the early morning hours (when no one needs me…mother of 4 amiright?!)...I stumbled upon a proverb… 

“Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit...”

It sounds simple enough, doesn't it?

Care for a tree that gives you fruit and you’ll have fruit.

Take care of something and reap the benefits of it… It's true, it's logical, it works.

The thing about this proverb is that it used a tree…and not just any tree…a fruit tree.

On average, fruit trees can take anywhere from 2-10 years to produce fruit - especially if you started growing it from a seed.

I was intrigued, and because I love reading up on random facts, I started looking into how much care is required to “tend” a fig tree. What exactly does it take to get to the fruit-eating part?

First, you have to consider the location. It should be warm and sheltered from cold winds. You should be mindful of space, the distance from other trees, whether it will get enough sunlight, and that it is not too close to a house. Then, once you find the perfect spot, you have to get dirty and dig. The hole needs to be deep, and big rocks will need to be removed. Oh, and keep an eye out for insects and pests that like to eat roots. You should have well-draining loamy soil.

Second, you will need to water regularly. Once the fig tree is established, it is a bit more drought-tolerant… but until then you have to water it regularly. Hope you have a hose!

Third, Fig trees are known to be heavy feeders, so you have to remember to use either fruit or tomato fertilizer every 4-6 weeks.

Fourth, you have to prune dead, diseased, and damaged branches during late winter or early spring. You also need to prune back and shorten the previous season's growth by half to encourage bushy branching. Yup, all that growth - cut in half.

Lastly, on younger trees, it is encouraged to pinch off excess fruit early in the season so the tree can direct its energy toward roots (the parts we do not see or enjoy) and canopy development.

AND do not even get me started on weeds and diseases on trees.

The thing about all of this is, you cannot just do one of these things. This is something that MUST be done year over year over year for as long as the tree is alive… and when you TEND the tree, you get to eat the fruit… somewhere between years 2-10. So even after all of that, we are still looking at a minimum of at least 730 days before you can eat a fig.

THIS is the perfect picture for anything in life, but as a health coach, naturally I thought about how this relates to health.  

You cannot put in effort for 3 weeks and expect the “fruit” of fat loss, muscle gains, or the end of a disease.

You cannot keep pausing your efforts just because things are not convenient right now.

It’s not always a diet problem, but it is almost always a consistency problem.

You cannot sit idle and expect to see anything change. 

Stress makes it harder - not impossible.

Pain makes it harder - not impossible.

Past habits make it harder - not impossible.

It all just requires…tending.

To “tend” literally means to pay attention and apply oneself. 

YOU HAVE TO WATCH AND DO SOMETHING.

Nothing produces NOTHING.

I have been in seasons when I grew frustrated because I wanted a result I was not getting fast enough. Truth be told, I desired to quit, but quitting was not going to get me what I was looking for either. If I did not tend, I would be fruitless. If I quit, I would be fruitless. It’s a lose-lose situation. The best thing for me to do at all is to TEND.

Could I sit there and be angry that the fruit is not there? Sure. But growing frustrated only takes away from the “tending” and delays the arrival of what I was waiting for.

In the quiet and stillness of my mornings, I can be honest with myself, take a good look at how consistent or inconsistent I have been, and choose to “tend”.

Can we be honest with ourselves about our “tending”? Or are we just going to be angry that there is no fruit to eat?

I will be making sure I “produce fruit” in my health, and it’s not too late for you to start.

It’s time to do something.

It’s time to “tend”.

- J.F.