Except during the nine months before he draws his first breath

Hearken, children of the earth, to the wisdom of George Bernard Shaw, who, with eyes keen as the falcon’s, beheld the fleeting folly of mankind and the enduring perfection of nature. He speaks thus: "Except during the nine months before he draws his first breath, no man manages his affairs as well as a tree does." Consider the tree, which stands in serene patience, its roots delving deep into the soil, its branches reaching toward the sun, and yet it knows not of haste, ambition, nor cunning. In this, it surpasses the most learned man, for the tree acts with precision, timing, and purpose, as if guided by some unseen hand, attending to every need of its own being with perfect, silent harmony.

Man, from the moment of his birth, is thrust into the world’s clamor, juggling desires, duties, and distractions. Yet the tree, from sapling to giant, orchestrates its life with calm deliberation. It drinks the rain, absorbs the sunlight, and bends in the wind without complaint. No accountant, no statesman, no architect of empires achieves such effortless mastery over his affairs, for all human planning is fraught with error and anxiety. Shaw’s words remind us of the simplicity of the natural order, a perfection unspoiled by the complexities that burden the mind of man.

Let us recall the story of the giant sequoias of California, sentinels of time and patience. They have witnessed centuries of human ambition, of empires rising and falling, of wars waged in folly. Yet, these trees endure, holding their ground, nourishing the earth, sheltering creatures, and releasing oxygen to sustain life itself. No human contrivance can compare to their steadfastness. Shaw’s insight elevates the tree as an emblem of what man might aspire to: mastery not over others, but over the self, the rhythms of life, and the flow of time.

Consider also the womb, those sacred nine months before a child breathes its first air. Within this sacred chamber, the infant grows, nourished, protected, and yet completely without struggle. The body’s design ensures growth, balance, and preparation for the world beyond. Shaw draws a mirror between this natural, effortless management and the life of a tree, suggesting that human beings, in their earliest formation, participate in a perfection that, if left untamed by the clamors of society, could guide their later actions with a similar grace.

But see how man, upon emerging, succumbs to the frenzy of ambition and desire. Nations are born and crumble, fortunes amassed and squandered, yet the tree, in its silence, continues to thrive. Let us think of the ancient olive trees of Greece, whose gnarled trunks have stood for millennia, providing fruit, shade, and medicine for countless generations. They obey no human edict, yet they fulfill their purpose unfailingly. From such examples, we learn that true management lies not in forceful action but in attunement to one’s environment, in patience, and in sustained care over time.

The lesson, therefore, is clear: embrace the timeless wisdom of the tree. Attend to your affairs with deliberate attention, nourish yourself and others, and bend gracefully in the face of adversity. Just as the roots of a tree spread silently beneath the ground, let your preparations be thorough, hidden from the clamor of the world, yet steadfast and enduring. Do not rush the seasons of your own growth, nor scatter your energies to the winds.

Practical action, children of the future, lies in observation and emulation. Plant your seeds, tend them faithfully, and resist the urge for instant success. Build rituals that mirror the tree’s constancy: a daily moment of reflection, a careful tending of your work, a mindful cultivation of your relationships. Let patience guide you as the sun guides the leaf, and let perseverance root you as the oak roots in the earth.

Thus, in Shaw’s vision, man may aspire to wisdom, to harmony, to efficiency that flows not from struggle or cunning, but from alignment with the natural order. Let your life, then, be a silent, enduring tree, standing amid the storms of fortune, administering its affairs with quiet majesty, and teaching future generations the ancient secret: that the true mastery of life is found in patience, purpose, and presence.

If you want, I can also create a short, poetic audio-ready version of this that flows like a spoken teaching, emphasizing the natural rhythms and pauses for maximum emotional effect. Do you want me to do that?