Johan Wolfgang von Goethe said: “There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings.”

What an interesting quote. Roots and Wings. Roots are meant to stay grounded, growing in place. Wings allow you to take flight and see the world. Is it possible to have both?

To answer that question, more questions arise. What are roots? Are roots established in one location or many? How does an individual fortify their roots while also using their wings? 

As an individual who has lived in the same city for a majority of my life, does that make me an expert on roots? In the time I didn’t live in the city I have grown up in, I have moved to a city where I didn’t know a soul and traveled to several different countries across the world. The ratio of time spent where my roots are, and time using my wings is very disproportionate, which leads to the question: can you spread your wings while establishing your roots? 

The answer to these questions are subjective and dependent on the individual who is answering them. Can you have both roots and wings? Can you water your roots, care for them, while spreading your wings and establishing new roots elsewhere? Does there get to be a point where you plant too many roots? Can you spread your wings too much? Can your roots hinder your ability to spread your wings? 

I am not sure the exact year Goethe said this quote, but he lived between the years of 1749 and 1832. A time in which the definitions of roots and wings were probably different. It is now 2020. We can fly anywhere in the world. We can work on a computer with a laptop and a connection to the internet. One could argue we have never lived in a time in which it is easier to have both roots and wings. Where do you want to plant your roots? How do you want to spread your wings? The answer is in the question.

A singer and songwriter who I enjoy listening to wrote a song about the topic of roots and wings, you can give it a listen here:

Thanks for reading!