Monday's View from a Pew: Leaf People, Branch People, and Root People — Knowing Who’s Who in Your Life

Life has a way of teaching us lessons we didn’t ask for but desperately need. One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is this: not everyone who walks into your life is meant to stay. Some people come to teach you something, others to test you, and a rare few to help you grow. Over time, I’ve come to understand that the people in our lives fall into three categories — leaves, branches, and roots.

Let’s start with leaf people. You know the ones. They’re beautiful when they show up — they make your life look full, colorful, alive. They blow in with the breeze, and for a season, everything feels bright. But leaves were never meant to stay forever. They come when the weather is right and fall away when the winds shift. That’s their nature. Leaf people are with you when things are easy, when life is light, when you’re shining. But let trouble come, let the temperature drop, and they’re gone — carried off by the first strong wind.

And here’s the thing: you can’t be mad at leaf people for being leaves. You don’t curse the tree when its leaves fall; you understand that it’s part of the cycle. Some folks are only meant to cover you for a moment, to give you temporary shade, to play a small role in your larger story. They’re not bad — they’re just not built for the long haul. So let them go when it’s their time. Don’t beg seasonal people to make lifetime commitments.

Then you’ve got branch people. They’re stronger. You can lean on them — sometimes even depend on them for a while. They’ll walk with you through a few storms, help you weather some tough days, and offer real support. But even a strong branch has its limits. If you put too much weight on it, if you lean too far, it might snap. And when it does, it can hurt — not because the branch was evil or fake, but because you misjudged its strength.

That’s why discernment is so important. You’ve got to know who in your life is a leaf, who’s a branch, and who’s a root. Don’t put the weight of a root on someone who’s only a branch. And don’t expect a leaf to carry the load of a limb. Relationships fail, friendships crumble, and hearts get broken when we assign people roles they were never meant to fill.

Now let’s talk about root people. These are rare. You won’t see them much — they’re not flashy, they don’t always post about you, and they’re not hanging on every branch to be noticed. Root people work quietly beneath the surface. They’re not there for what you can give them; they’re there to help you grow.

They pray for you when you don’t even know it.
They speak your name in rooms you’ll never enter.
They steady you when life tries to uproot you.

They don’t need to be seen — they just need to know you’re standing strong. A tree can survive without leaves and even lose a few branches, but without roots? It’s done. So if you’ve got even a few root people in your life, count yourself blessed beyond measure.

I thank God for my roots — those few people who have held me up when I wanted to fall, who called me out when I was slipping, who encouraged me when I was weary, and who loved me enough to stay when things got ugly. They don’t flatter me; they fortify me. And when the winds of life start blowing — because they always do — I know that no matter how many leaves fall away, my roots are still holding me down.

So, take a look around your own life. Don’t get bitter when leaves fall off or branches break. That’s not a loss — it’s pruning. God is trimming your tree to make room for growth. Every storm shows you who’s who.

Because in the end, a tree doesn’t need to be covered in leaves or surrounded by branches to survive — it just needs strong roots. And if you’ve got a few people holding you up at the base, praying for your strength, and feeding your faith, you’ve already got more than enough to keep growing.

So cherish your roots. Release your leaves. Respect your branches. And thank God for the wisdom to know the difference.