Many years ago, a woman in a village near Akure planted several orange trees around her compound. Her neighbors laughed. The trees were tiny. They would take years to bear fruit. Some even asked why she was spending time on something that would take so long. The woman simply smiled and continued watering them. Season after season, she cared for the young trees. Some died. She planted new ones. Some struggled. She nurtured them patiently. Years passed. Eventually, the trees grew tall and strong. They produced more oranges than her family could eat. Children walking home from school stopped by for fruit. Neighbors enjoyed the harvest. Visitors rested in the shade. One day, a young boy asked her if she had always known the trees would succeed. She laughed. "No." "Then why did you keep planting?" The woman looked at the orchard and replied: "Because some things are worth doing even when the results take time." That answer stayed with the boy. And it remains true today. Many people give up too soon. They abandon goals because progress feels slow. They stop learning because improvement isn't immediate. They quit planting because they can't yet see fruit. But meaningful growth often happens quietly. Beneath the surface. Out of sight. Before it becomes visible to everyone else. The woman understood that patience is not passive. It's active faith in the value of what you're building. Today, many people enjoy the fruit of trees they never planted. And it all started because one person was willing to think beyond the present moment. What seed are you planting today that you hope will benefit your future tomorrow?
