The Acorn and the Oak: Holding Potential Without Breaking

One of the hardest gifts I carry is the ability to see both who people are and who they could be. I see the acorn and the oak at once. And let me tell you, it’s equal parts miracle and heartbreak.

Because most people? They stay acorns. They settle into the shell. They choose fear, predictability, smallness. And when you can see their oak so vividly, it hurts to watch them refuse to grow.

Psychology calls it self-actualization. Philosophy calls it potentiality versus actuality. Spiritual traditions call it seed and soil. The language shifts, but the truth remains: every acorn holds an oak. Not every acorn becomes one.

The danger of this sight is burnout. When you start believing in someone’s oak more than they do, you’ll exhaust yourself. You’ll confuse potential for capacity. You’ll drown in disappointment when they don’t rise.

But here’s the shift: my job isn’t to force oaks. My job is to see them. To bless them. To love the acorn and the oak at once.

Because sometimes, just being seen is the sunlight that cracks the shell. And sometimes, the shell stays closed. Either way, love is never wasted.

If you see potential in people — if you carry your own version of this sight — remember this: you are not responsible for anyone’s oak but your own.

Plant yourself. Root yourself. Grow.