“When you go out into the woods and you look at trees, you see all these different trees and some of them are bent, and some of them are straight, and some of them are evergreens, and some of them are whatever, and you look at the tree and you allow it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn’t get enough light, and so it turned that way. And you don’t get all emotional about it, you just allow it. You appreciate the tree. The minute you get near humans, you lose all that. And you are constantly saying ‘You are too this, or I’m too this.’ That judgment mind comes in. And so I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are.”
— Ram Dass
Simplified Meaning:
When you walk in a forest, you notice that each tree is different. Some are tall and straight, others are short or bent. Each tree has grown in its own way because of things like where it gets sunlight. You don't judge the trees or think one is better than the others; you simply accept and appreciate them for how they are. However, when it comes to people, we often become critical, thinking someone is too shy, too loud, or comparing ourselves to others. The idea here is to treat people like those trees in the forest – accept them for who they are without judgment. For example, if a friend isn't very talkative, instead of thinking they are too quiet, understand that they might be introverted and appreciate them just the way they are. This approach can make our interactions more compassionate and reduce unnecessary stress.
