The Mentor's Guide, 3rd Edition

FOREWORD

ECOLOGISTS TELL US that a tree planted in a clearing of an old forest will grow more successfully than one planted in an open field. The reason, it seems, is that the roots of the forest tree are able to follow the intricate pathways created by former trees and thus embed themselves more deeply. Moreover, we now know that an elaborate web of fungal threads connects it with other trees. Indeed, over time, the roots of many trees may actually graft themselves to one another, creating an interdependent mat of life hidden beneath the earth's surface. This literally enables the stronger trees to share resources with the weaker so the whole forest becomes healthier.

Similarly, we human beings thrive best when we grow in the presence of ...