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8 SMT007 MAGAZINE I AUGUST 2024 Nolan's Notes by Nolan Johnson, I-CONNECT007 Thriving ink back to a time in your life when you really felt like you were thriving. What did that feel like? What actions were you taking? How did you get there? What does it mean to thrive? While it is measurable in many ways, thriv- ing is personal and somewhat intangible. It changes meaning from one person to the next. At its core, to thrive is ephemeral, rooted in an organic ideal. All living things, from plants and animals to ecosystems and people, have the ability to thrive. What creates an environment where some- thing can thrive? You can't simply wake up one morning and thrive. It is a state of being that must be nurtured, developed, and encouraged. It is a process. Years ago, we lived in a home with a large yard filled with maple, locust, and fruit trees. I hired a tree trimmer to help some mature but struggling trees, including those that weren't producing much fruit. As he shed large limbs from the maple trees, the tree trimmer talked to me about how I could help my fruit trees to thrive. "You have to think like the tree," he said. "What does it need?" He explained that each branch needed space for adequate sunlight and airflow. You need to prune out the diseased and unnecessary branches. Give it some extra nutrients, then continue to take care of it. It's not a one-and-done situation. With foresight and care, the tree will flourish. But remember, you are working within the constraints brought on by the tree itself. e arborist exerts his will on what the tree will become, but it also has its own restraints. My tree trimmer had some interesting advice: "Trim the tree enough that you could toss a cat up through the center of it." With that visual in mind, I took to trimming the fruit