A Touch of Holiday Magic
In the bustling manufacturing hub of Productionville, production manager Peter was getting ready for another busy day of manufacturing when a touch of holiday magic inspired him to take a stroll in the nearby woods.
It was a cold winter morning in Productionville. Glistening snow was gently floating from the sky and wrapping all the factories and warehouses in a pearl-white coat. Production manager Peter was sipping hot cocoa on the loading deck of his small manufacturing plant. He had just finished his morning rounds, making sure the machinery was ready to go and the production schedules for the day were set. The gentle snowfall outside was so inviting that Peter decided to take a little walk before the hustle and bustle of the coming workday. He put on his warm coat and stepped outside.
The industrial hub where Peter worked was flanked by a patch of woods. It had gotten smaller and smaller over the years due to new Productionville developments, but there was still a good few hundred yards of relatively undisturbed forest left. Walking amid the factories, Peter realized that it had been years since he’d last set foot among the trees, and many months since the place had even crossed his mind. Even though his production facility was just a few minutes’ walk away. “I do so love the woods, “ he thought to himself, “I better go see how the old grove is doing.”
Despite it being well below freezing, Peter felt an odd sense of warmth growing inside his chest as he neared the trees. At the tree line, he leaned on a young birch, all bare and snowy, and looked into the woods. The grove was like a whole new world. The light was different somehow, warmer than the paved roads and production hubs behind him. Many snowy firs and pines lined a narrow path that snaked deeper into the woods as if inviting Peter to dwell further. Filled with a sense of wonder that he hadn’t felt in a long time, Peter ventured on.
The woods were peaceful and serene, and the sun’s rays peaked out from behind the trees. The grove was wrapped in a crisp kind of silence. The air was also much fresher here, almost sweet. Peter stood still to take in the surroundings. He quickly noticed a blackbird jumping off a branch nearby, which started a tiny cascade of powdery snow from the tree branch. A little way in the distance, a squirrel hopped in the thick snow, only its tail visible as it landed looking for its nuts and seeds hiding place. In just a blink of an eye, Peter had found himself as if in a fairytale.
He thought to himself: “Such a blissful place. To think I haven’t been here in years even though I feel so nice just resting here a moment.” He glanced over the tall firs and birches, standing solemnly in the silence. “What amazing beings are trees. They create so much around themselves. Just growing next to one another, this place has become a refuge and home for many birds and animals, and plants and mushrooms. And even for men. And all these trees ask is some water and some earth. And perhaps that someone notices.”
Peter realized, quite spontaneously, that all of nature is like this. It gives us all so much and so selflessly. If we conserve the natural world and help it thrive, it will create vast resources for all to enjoy. He realized that these woods are much more than a bunch of trees. They are a part of Productionville just as much, if not more than all the warehouses and factories. And he realized, in the holiday spirit, that the act of gifts and giving comes from nature itself. Filled with awe and wonder, Peter smiled from ear to ear. He took a big breath of the brisk forest air and turned back towards his little factory.
Walking back, Peter thought that he needed to do everything he could to make his production effort more sustainable too. To create his products without wasting resources and to increase the production efficiency of his plant. Thankfully, he remembered that he had recently heard of peculiar software for small manufacturers that could be a big help in cutting manufacturing waste and increasing production efficiency. “I’ll start from there,” he thought to himself, “good thing there are great solutions out there that help small manufacturers save time and money all the while aligning them with sustainable development.” The gentle snow kept falling and the sun’s rays gave it a nice glisten as Peter waded through the snow to start his workday.
Season’s Greetings and a Happy New Year from MRPeasy!
MRPeasy has partnered with American Forests, a US-based NGO dedicated to preserving and restoring forests around the world.
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