The Meaning of Life

My good friend Jane Waggoner Deschner shared these quotes with me.

The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit. ~ Nelson Henderson

When eating a fruit, think of the person who planted the tree. ~ Vietnamese proverb

I was trying to figure out which one of these quotes comes first, but of course that’s a chicken-egg puzzle. And it doesn’t matter. What matters is for people to do both in their lifetime.

Image courtesy of Jane Waggoner Deschner.
from the maxim series (Henderson, boy, tree), 2009
vintage snapshots, cotton thread, 10.875″ x 5.25″

For a great essay by Jane on the compulsion to make stuff, visit the American Craft Magazine blog.