A carpenter and his apprentice were walking together through a large forest. And when they came across a tall, big, gnarled, old, beautiful oak tree, the carpenter asked his apprentice: “Do you know why this tree is so tall, so huge, so gnarled, so old and beautiful?’ The apprentice looked at his master and said:
“No… why?”
“Well,” the carpenter said, “because it is useless. If it had been useful it would have been cut long ago and made into tables and chairs, but because it is useless it could grow so tall and so beautiful that you can sit in its shade and relax.”
In solitude we can grow old freely without being preoccupied with our usefulness and we can offer service which we had not planned on.
(Out of Solitude – by Henri Nouwen)
RECOVERING NARCISSIST 