A boy was extended an invitation to visit his uncle who was a lumberjack up in the Northwest . . . [As he arrived] his uncle met him at the depot, and the two pursued their way to the lumber camp. The boy was impressed by the enormous size of trees on every hand. There was a gigantic tree which he observed standing all alone on top of a small hill. The boy, full of awe, called out excitedly, “Uncle George, look at that big tree! It will make a lot of good lumber, won’t it?”

Uncle George slowly shook his head, then replied, “No, son, that tree will not make a lot of good lumber. It might make a lot of lumber but not a lot of good lumber. When a tree grows off by itself, too many branches grow on it. Those branches produce knots when the tree is cut into lumber. The best lumber comes when they grow together in groves. The trees also grow taller and straighter when they grow together.”

It is so with people. We become better individuals, more useful timber when we grow together.

– Author Unknown