It was planted in the 19th century by a couple over the grave of their infant child, taken away from them before he had a chance to understand the world. They planted the sapling in the hopes that the plant would experience life in a way that their child never could.
They hoped to give their child the gift of life.
And they succeeded, for the sapling grew inch by inch, every year.
When its leaves wilted and drooped, with the soil around it cracked and dry, the Child experienced what it felt like to be parched. When rain finally came down, the Child experienced the sheer relief that can only come when your throat is dry and the first drop of water eases the discomfort such that you cannot stop drinking until you’ve had your fill.
And when nature is not being kind. When rain simply refuses to come down and the leaves are drooping and dejected, desperate with the need for water, a 5 year old girl empties her bottle of water over the poor plant in an innocent display of affection. It is then, that the Child experiences the kindness of a stranger. He experiences what it means to be on the receiving end of small acts that seem of little consequence and are performed in the heat of the moment, but are actually the biggest displays of love.
He experiences the gift of friendship. The squirrels, the ants, the dogs, the bees, the butterflies, the birds. He understands then, that one cannot survive in isolation.
And thus, the sapling grows. It grows until it blossoms into a beautiful tree, with wide spreading branches, a thick, smooth trunk and a far reaching network of roots that runs deep beneath the ground.
It grows, as does the world around it.
In the beginning, it was planted on a grassy knoll, beside a path leading up to a church, a small brook bubbling nearby. The buzz of bees and the twittering of birds were the central sounds. The occasional shout of a man to draw the attention of his friends going up the path towards the town. The creaking of carriage wheels and the trot of a horse.
As the years passed by, the scenery changed. A park developed around it. The grass was trimmed. A bench was erected underneath it, a neat row of flowers on either side. The shouts of children engrossed in play, the chatter of people. The honking of cars. The occasional drone of an airplane or the siren of an ambulance.
And still the tree remained. And it flourished. It was then that the Child experienced and understood the importance of the transient nature of things as well as the permanence of others.
He understood that what is, might not what will be. But change is not something to shrink back from but rather something to embrace. The past should be remembered with fondness but without an eagerness to relive it, for it is the fleeting nature of events that give them meaning.
And as for the future, it should be welcomed, for it brings with it endless possibility. It is new and one might not know what to expect but they can seek comfort in the knowledge that some things will always remain the same. A refuge. A place to recharge and rest, where time sits still. And when you are ready, you can pass on and jump into new, uncertain things with this pillow of permanence to soften the landing.
The buzzing of bees always remains the same, the swish of the tree’s leaves as they wave gently in the breeze, the gurgling of the brook and the twittering of the birds. The dazzling sunlight casting dappled shadows on the ground. The beauty of the moon. When the honking and the shouting becomes unbearable, these are the things the tree/Child finds comfort in. And when it tunes back into its surroundings, it is able to focus on the reasons behind the noise, the things that really matter.
The honking is replaced by the radiant smile of the child who runs to greet her father, getting into the car to drive back home. The siren of an ambulance is replaced by a prayer for the sufferer and the earlier shouting is replaced by the warmth and sincerity of a greeting.
The Child also experiences small moments that make him understand and enable him to witness emotions. He experiences joy and at the same time, loss, heartbreak and silent battles fought and won. He experiences the power of faith as well as the power of acceptance, of self and of others.
He perceives a lot of things for though the ground and him remain constant, the people around do not. The same spot witnesses countless moments each unaware of the last. Unaware of the history and the rich life of people who stood in that same spot many moons ago.
So you see, the parents succeeded in giving their child life, they allowed him to witness the trials, the beauty and the ugliness. And now the tree is old, its once smooth trunk is marred with numerous ridges and grooves like fine lines across an aged face. And still, it remains. It perseveres.
Until it does not.
Until it becomes weak and brittle. Until it has to be taken down to ensure the safety of everyone around.
In its place is planted a new sapling.
And it is then that the Child experiences and he understands, the importance of mortality.
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