The tree in front of my house has just come alive with fresh tender juicy leaves that my squirrel friend feasts on every day.

However,  if you could have seen this tree around three weeks back, it was as bare as a stone. With no leaves to boast of, it appeared sullen and sad.

As soon as the spring approached, I saw a small shoot appear from an apparently dead branch, willing to thrive and make its presence felt. In a couple of days, the tree was back to its youthful self surrounded by young shoots and appearing as vibrant as ever.

It made me ponder.  When dealing with our teenagers, we sometimes feel sad since we feel they are not listening to our feedback and trying out their own ways out of the maze of life. The age makes them rebellious. They just want to try their own solutions.  Let them experiment. 

Like the tree, we need to be judicious enough to gauge the opportunity window in which they are in a mindset to receive our feedback. That’s the time that we  can gently coax them towards the right way, not by directing them, but asking them the right questions. In no time, you would see them blooming like the fresh twig and riding their way to a successful life.