Finally, the metaphor invites patience and policy. Trees require tending; so do norms. Schools that embed peer mediation and restorative circles make care procedural, not optional. City budgets that fund libraries, parks, and local associations fertilize everyday gathering spaces. In this way, Tutu’s moral insight scales into civic design: institutionalize kindness so it does not rely on heroic moments. Given time, the canopy thickens—and when storms return, it holds. [...]
