Apple-picking makes a great metaphor for life. To discover the best fruit, we have to stretch and reach out to the the ends of the branches. The fruit is the sweetest and most ripe where the sunlight and warmth is the greatest.
For the apple-grower, it also takes a lot of preparation. Planting the trees, nourishing them correctly, pruning carefully to maximize the fruit production, keeping the pests away, and patiently waiting until the time is just right to pick each type of apple. (Isn’t that also a metaphor for team leadership?)
The risk…
Is there risk for going out on a limb? Yes! The branch might break. We might not be able to reach that perfect apple. Maybe the fruit won’t be quite as perfect up close. There might be a worm in it…ew! Each of us have to weigh the potential risks with the possible benefits.
The reward…
However, the reward for going out on a limb is great. Whether it’s a juicy bite of a fresh-picked apple right there in the orchard or a delicious spoonful of an apple crisp just out of the oven later at home, the personal satisfaction is high.
So, why not venture out on a limb? Sure, it might be challenging but isn’t the extra effort worth it?
Photo taken a couple weeks ago at Apple Hill Orchard (Ontario, Ohio) as we picked the sweetest fruit – out on the limb.
