As a Mennonite attempting to live out my spiritual disciplines of hope and gratitude, I was compelled by Dani Klotz’s column, “What Advent sprouts await?” (Nov. 26). As a forest resource manager, I note your accompanying image is apropos in a way you might not have recognized. There are dormant living buds in the vicinity of a young tree’s damaged area that begin to form shoots of new growth after it is damaged. These buds are classified as adventitious buds. In some of my presentations to religious and secular groups, I use an image similar to this. My image is from a tree cut for charcoal in Haiti.

Bill Minter, New Paris, Ind.