Johnny Appleseed
...ecome one of the largest suppliers of apple trees. I no longer look toward the short term affects of the things I do. I try and plan for the future and see how I can position myself for more opportunities. Instead of looking for the quick money or a quick way to do something, I think about how Johnny managed his life and accomplished what he wanted, when he wanted. Mr. Appleseed excelled in many endeavors he went after. Of course, his most notable is “the apple tree planter.” Johnny was known to give people his trees to help them get started. Many people wrote “I owe you’s” to him, but it is believed that he never collected on any of the notes written. He even accepted little articles of clothing. For a traveler of the country, many would believe he would try and break less fortunate people pockets in order to ensure he was wealthy. Johnny learned that you do not have to be stingy to get ahead. This is a lesson that I can quickly relate to my life. I so quickly want to ask what I can get out of a deal before I agree to it. Appleseed has shown me that the act of giving is more important. Appleseed was also very intelligent. He traveled with books and lent them to land owners and others that had bought trees. Much of the time he would start to run out of books. When this happened he started giving away chapters of the book. Johnny would do anything to ensure someone who wanted to read was able to. Johnny taught the people settlers and Native Americans alike how to care for the apple trees and for themselves. Not only was Appleseed highly specialized in apple trees he learned how to grow and care for medicinal herbs. In this time, doctors were not as easy to find. Fennel, catnip, horehound, pennyroyal, rattlesnake root, and other medicines were given to the people through his efforts. Many people are intelligent, but do not use it to benefit anyone else. Mr. Appleseed has proven that efforts such as his do not go unnoticed. As I emerge from the college atmosphere, I can only hope that I can help others half the amount as Johnny Chapman has helped his fellow countrymen. My intelligence is abundant but it means nothing if I can not help someone along my voyage. I have lived a large part of my life trying to get ahead without helping others that cross my path. Sitting back and thinking, it can only be a great disservice if I continue down my path. I am at an advantage, just as Johnny Appleseed was, and should try to enlighten anyone that wants to know. The country was becoming a friendlier place with Johnny Chapman in it. Now I know that I can continue with that very idea. Every year Johnny returned to all of his orchards. Not to collect money or to rub his successes in any of the settlers faces. He cared about the people that crossed paths with. He checked to make sure that their trees were doing well. For many of the settlers this was their only income and was an essential part of their life. Johnny Appleseed pruned the growing trees year after year. This is a task an experienced person can easily falter on and kill the tree. He also fixed fences that were in place to keep the deer from eating the young trees. Johnny Chapman also replaced old, read books with newer books. In some cases he ripped out another chapter of a book for people who only received chapters. Chapman was very concerned with everything that he ever came in contact with. It would have been easy for him to forget about the people he had engaged conversation with. So many times I have done this. I do not think about the effect I have on people nor do I care to find out if my role in their life is significant or not. I would much rather go on with my life. Chapman has shown the importance of going back ...