--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good Timber by Douglas Malloch The tree…" description: "\"“Good Timber by Douglas Malloch The tree that never had to fight For sun and sky and air and light, But stood out in the open plain And always got its ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/douglas-malloch-34813_common-law_good-timber-by-douglas-malloch-the-tree_1350352.jpg" --- # Good Timber by Douglas Malloch The tree that never had to… ![“Good Timber by Douglas Malloch The tree that never had to fight For sun and sky and air and light, But stood out in the open plain And always got its share of rain, Never became a forest king But lived and died a scrubby thing. The man who never had to toil To gain and farm his patch of soil, Who…” quote by Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/douglas-malloch-34813_common-law_good-timber-by-douglas-malloch-the-tree_1350352.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/douglas-malloch-34813_common-law_good-timber-by-douglas-malloch-the-tree_1350352.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/douglas-malloch-34813_common-law_good-timber-by-douglas-malloch-the-tree_1350352.jpg) > ““Good Timber by Douglas Malloch The tree that never had to fight For sun and sky and air and light, But stood out in the open plain And always got its share of rain, Never became a forest king But lived and died a scrubby thing. The man who never had to toil To gain and farm his patch of soil, Who never had to win his share Of sun and sky and light and air, Never became a manly man But lived and died as he began. Good timber does not grow with ease: The stronger wind, the stronger trees; The further sky, the greater length; The more the storm, the more the strength. By sun and cold, by rain and snow, In trees and men good timbers grow. Where thickest lies the forest growth, We find the patriarchs of both. And they hold counsel with the stars Whose broken branches show the scars Of many winds and much of strife. This is the common law of life.”” [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hardship and adversity forge strength and character, while ease yields weakness. **In simple terms:** Challenges build strength; ease leads to frailty. Key Takeaway Embrace difficulty to grow stronger. Themes resilience growth character adversity nature Mood reflective inspirational serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - leadership training - team building - outdoor survival - mental health counseling Key Concepts Stoicism psychological development metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What challenges have you avoided that could strengthen you? - How can you seek growth through discomfort? A Different Perspective Strengthening without struggle may produce fragile outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Rain and snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rain-and-snow/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) ## Related quotes > [Good timber does not grow with ease: The stronger wind, the stronger trees; The further sky, the greater length; The more the storm, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/good-timber-does-not-grow-with-ease-the-stronger-wind-the-stronger/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [The tree that never had to fight for sun and sky and air and light but stood out in the open plain and always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/the-tree-that-never-had-to-fight-for-sun-and-sky-and-air-and-light/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [Good timber does not grow with ease; the stronger the wind, the stronger the trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/good-timber-does-not-grow-with-ease-the-stronger-the-wind-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Deserts need trees; men need wisdom!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/deserts-need-trees-men-need-wisdom/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Worpswede, Worpswede, I cannot get you out of my mind... 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Jane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/don-t-you-like-a-rather-foggy-day-in-a-wood-in-autumn-you-ll-find-we/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“It’s freezing outside and imagine you are relaxing in the water of your swimming pool. Is it possible? Will you not freeze in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protect-your-pool-from-rain-and-snow-with-stylish-pool-enclosures/it-s-freezing-outside-and-imagine-you-are-relaxing-in-the-water-of/) Protect Your Pool From Rain And Snow With Stylish Pool Enclosures ## More by Douglas Malloch > [A liar freely gives his oath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/a-liar-freely-gives-his-oath/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [You have to believe in happiness, or happiness never comes Ah, that's the reason a bird can sing - On his darkest day he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/you-have-to-believe-in-happiness-or-happiness-never-comes-ah-that-s/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [Father of fathers, make me one, A fit example for a son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/father-of-fathers-make-me-one-a-fit-example-for-a-son/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/thorns-may-hurt-you-men-desert-you-sunlight-turn-to-fog-but-you-re/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [Good timber does not grow with ease: The stronger wind, the stronger trees; The further sky, the greater length; The more the storm, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/good-timber-does-not-grow-with-ease-the-stronger-wind-the-stronger/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [If you can't be a highway, then just be a trail, If you can't be the sun, be a star; It isn't by size…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/if-you-can-t-be-a-highway-then-just-be-a-trail-if-you-can-t-be-the/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [He who makes a garden Works hand in hand with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/he-who-makes-a-garden-works-hand-in-hand-with-god/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [Courage is to feel the daily daggers of relentless steel and keep on living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/courage-is-to-feel-the-daily-daggers-of-relentless-steel-and-keep-on/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [You have to believe in happiness, or happiness never comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/you-have-to-believe-in-happiness-or-happiness-never-comes/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [The biggest liar in the world is They Say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/the-biggest-liar-in-the-world-is-they-say/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [Men look to the East for the dawning things, for the light of a raising sun But they look to the West, to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/men-look-to-the-east-for-the-dawning-things-for-the-light-of-a/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [The tree that never had to fight for sun and sky and air and light but stood out in the open plain and always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/the-tree-that-never-had-to-fight-for-sun-and-sky-and-air-and-light/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) [Explore all 13 Douglas Malloch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) ## More Common law quotes > [No one familiar with the common law of England can read the Constitution of the United States without observing the great desire of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-freeman-miller/no-one-familiar-with-the-common-law-of-england-can-read-the/) [Samuel Freeman Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-freeman-miller/) > [It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-s-unwise-to-pay-too-much-but-it-s-worse-to-pay-too-little/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“Uniformity in the common law, consisting of broad principles like the "reasonable person" standard, generally permits adjustment for the circumstances. 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It's a lie of the most terrible and monstrous sort." pg. 121 "In 1871, under common law, the age of consent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ami-mckay/a-virgin-cure-it-s-a-lie-of-the-most-terrible-and-monstrous-sort-pg/) [Ami McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ami-mckay/) > [“The difference between the past and the present is that individual freedom and security no longer fall to be protected solely through the D…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pius-langa/the-difference-between-the-past-and-the-present-is-that-individual/) Pius Langa > [“They are the typical product of the structure of the German Lager: if one offers a position of privilege to a few individuals in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/primo-levi/they-are-the-typical-product-of-the-structure-of-the-german-lager-if/) [Primo Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/primo-levi/) > [Not only the financial power, but also the legal power, has remained seated in Britain. 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The man who never had to toil To gain and farm his patch of soil, Who never had to win his share Of sun and sky and light and air, Never became a manly man But lived and died as he began. Good timber does not grow with ease: The stronger wind, the stronger trees; The further sky, the greater length; The more the storm, the more the strength. By sun and cold, by rain and snow, In trees and men good timbers grow. Where thickest lies the forest growth, We find the patriarchs of both. And they hold counsel with the stars Whose broken branches show the scars Of many winds and much of strife. 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