On Circumstance and Fairness

Kathleen Nestor May 2026

It started with these trees.

What a curious position they are in. I'm not sure which one supported the other or if one grew around the other but I did understand that these trees landed in a place and in a life with unusual circumstances and barriers together or alone. They had to overcome, work around, adapt. It made me reflect on circumstance. Their seed landed right in this spot. They are rooted. They can not move themselves. But they found a way to overcome. As I walked through the woods, I encountered many situations, all unique. Some trees were safely in the forest, away from traffic and neatly settled amongst their peers, all politely growing in their place, following the rules and growing straight upwards like how their elders have and the young ones among them. There were other trees who landed in the center of a busy path, spending years being carved in, hit by bikes, roots walked on day after day, year after year, yet they continued to persist and grow into healthy trees, albeit battered and scared on their trunk. There were other trees who, in a normal space like their cousins, could have grown straight up and orderly like the others but they were given the privilege of seeing some hopeful extra light and possibility as they were near the edge of a lake, so they took advantage and grew through others to hold their prime spot in the sun and thrive beyond the others. Their trunks twisted and turned and they were very different than their peers. It reminded me that none of those trees chose their spot. It's just where their life began. This was the circumstance they found themselves in. Some were born into safeness and order, surrounded by normalcy and family. Some were born in terrible situations, where the world would constantly assault them, challenge them, give them scars again and again. Some were in areas with normal opportunity but given the chance to see a speck of hope for a different light/life, they contorted themselves to grow into a different life and achieve more with better health and opportunity. This brought me to the concept of "fairness". This is a human construct. Nature is not fair. Life is not fair. We, as humans, have this flawed belief that life is supposed to be fair. That we are owed balance and anything outside of that is some injustice to us as individuals. Then we become victims and we feel discouraged at the injustice. The reality is some of us will land in unfortunate spots. Some of us will see constant struggle throughout our lives. Some of us will be born into privilege and have a breezy life. But the concept of "fair" isn't real. This is just life. Trees find ways to overcome, to grow around, to persist, to thrive, despite their situation. We, as humans, should do the same. Accept reality and grow towards your light. Withstand the pressures in your way, become who you are able to be. And unlike trees who are rooted in place and can only see what's close for opportunity and potential, we have feet and can find everything that is possible. In the end, I find much more beauty and interest in the trees who have such uniqueness, who have overcome so much. The easy happy trees merely blend into their surrounding and get lost in the vision. Accept your position, meet the mark of who you can become and never waste your time thinking you're a victim. Use that energy to grow around, find your potential, toughen your skin, be the person - the full potential and possibility - that you are able to be.