In a huge forest; on a large branch of a great tree; there hung a little seed. This little seed was the happiest creature in the whole forest because he loved hanging there beside all of his many brother and sister seeds; under the shade of his mother’s large protective branches. In the morning the little seed would feel his body bathed in the moist morning dew. As the sun rose in the East, the little seed’s many friends would come around. There were birds, squirrels even a lizard or two. The little seed was completely satisfied to live out his life in the gentle shade of his mother’s large arms. Perhaps one day, when the time was right he would fall close to her roots and live out the rest of his days close to his brothers and sisters in the safe, serene community of the great forest.
But as fate would have it, a strong gusty wind blew up one day from the North and caught the little seed in its chilly grip, ripping it away from the safety of its mother’s arms. The wind carried the little seed across the forest, through the valley and over the mountain tops; far, far away from all that was familiar. Until at last the little seed dropped into a large meadow with such force that he found himself lodged deeply in the warm moist Earth.
Then the rains came. They were cold and wet and nearly drowned the poor little seed. Then came the mud. The little seed felt himself sinking deeper and deeper into the oozing, going substance, until he was deep beneath the Earth. A deep sadness filled the little seed. He realized he would never see his mother tree or any of his brothers and sisters again. He felt so very alone. He shut his eyes and sank to the bottom of the mud and fell into a deep, deep sleep.
Many months passed while the little seed slumbered under the soil, until one day he awoke. As he awoke he felt a very strange sensation. It was as if everything inside of him wanted to come out. It started as a rumbling inside his belly. Then, all at once he seemed to burst forth. Part of him thrust downward seeking moisture and minerals from the Earth while his arms reached upward seeking warmth and light. Then, an amazing thing happened. He broke through the darkness that had covered him for such a long time and he felt the warm glow of the sun bathing his body. At that moment he realized he was no longer a seed but a seedling, on his way to becoming a full grown tree, just like his mother.
Each day the little seedling reached higher and higher towards the sun. Soon he began to expand outward taking the form of a small tree. He was also making new friends. There were squirrels, birds and lizards to keep him company. But the yearning for his family tree still gnawed at the little tree. I wonder what has happened to my brothers and sisters? The little tree thought, why are there no other trees in the vast meadow? The little tree longed for a companion.
As the days and months passed the little tree found himself growing into a rather handsome young tree. His trunk had become an impressive size and his branches now had quite a few leaves. The little tree was very proud of himself. Still he wished he had another tree to share his life with.
One day a beaver came waddling by. He stopped in front of the little tree who was pleased to see someone finally taking notice of his fine trunk. The beaver examined the little tree’s trunk. The little tree smiled and told him how old he was and how strong and thick his trunk was. The beaver was pleased to hear this. He smiled and took a large bite out of the little tree who screamed in pain. The beaver explained that he would use the little tree to build his home on the nearby river. After many tears and a long discussion the little tree convinced the beaver that he would not be suitable for such a task and the little tree was spared. Having escaped what the little tree was sure to be an awful fate he was resolved to be choosier about whom he engaged in conversation.
Time passed and the little tree grew into a great big strong tree. The great tree saw many seasons pass, always bringing a new coat of leaves each spring and shedding them in the winter. The never ending cycle of birth, life and death, continued. Creation gave way to preservation, and finally destruction. Many years passed, until one day an extraordinary thing happened. A gust of wind carried a little seeding to the little tree’s meadow. It landed not more than a few feet from the great tree. The great tree watched with curiosity as the seed sank into the ground. As the winter closed in the tree went to sleep dreaming about the forthcoming spring and what the little seedling would be like.
Spring finally sprung forth, and with it was much excitement for this year the little tree could not wait to see what the seedling would do. Had it made it through the long cold winter? Was it stirring under the ground? Soon the tree noticed a little seeding pushing its way through the soil. The great tree was so excited to meet its new friend.
The great tree watched as the little seed pushed its way through the earth. He remembered the day he had exploded forth and all the strange and wonderful feelings that moment had held.
“Welcome little seedling,” The great tree called out, but the little seedling was quite frightened.
“Who are you?” The little seedling cried out in terror. “Where’s my mother tree?”
“Don’t cry little seedling,” the great tree leaned towards her, “I am your friend, and I will be here to watch over you and to talk to when you are lonely.”
But the little seedling cried into the night because she missed her mother tree and her brothers and sisters.
“Don’t cry little seedling, I too was blown away from my mother tree and my family a long, long time ago. I have been so very lonely here. I asked the wind to bring me someone I could talk to and love; and she brought you. I missed my family just as you do, but I hope you will grow to love it here and be my friend.”
The great tree watched over the little seedling as she grew and grew. He was very careful not to overshadow her with his great branches and he was patient as she got over her sadness and blossomed into a beautiful young tree. The two had many a long conversation and in time they began to fall deeply in love. Soon their roots were touching and they became in tree terms husband and wife. They had many seedlings and before they knew it the meadow had now become a great forest filled with their children. Their trunks had grown large and they were getting on in years.
One day a strange truck pulled up and a man and a woman climbed out. They spread a great cloth under the shade of the two trees and feasted under the trees’ limbs. They held each other closely and kissed one another. The great tree and his wife looked down upon them with curiosity. It was a beautiful thing to see the two lovers wrapped in each other’s arms. Before they left the man and woman touched the trees. They smelt their bark and examined their trunks very closely.
“What magnificent!” cried the woman.
Then the couple climbed back in their truck and drove away.
The days passed and the two trees were so very happy. Until one day a powerful wind whipped up out of no where. It was stronger than any wind the great tree had ever experienced. The great tree held on to his beloved wife for dear life but she was uprooted by the powerful wind and carried away. The great tree felt most of his branches ripped from his strong trunk and his life force drain away as he saw his beloved wife carried out of his sight. His great body began to lean and before long he was laying on the ground.
The great tree cried and cried all night staring at the empty space where his wife’s trunk had been. The following day a group of men with strange machines arrived and they cut what was left of the great tree up into little pieces. Although it was painful, the great tree did not care. He was grateful that his days in the forest had ended for he could not bear to stare at the empty space where his wife’s trunk had been another day.
The men with machines were about to be thrust the great tree into a machine that would grind it into tiny pieces when a strange truck pulled up. A man jumped out of the trunk and spoke to the men for a while. It was the same man who had eaten under the great tree’s branches with his wife. He picked up what was left of the great tree and strapped it onto his funny looking truck, hauling it over a great highway and finally to the man’s home. The little tree was placed into a room with other pieces of wood.
That night, in the darkness of the room the great tree could hear sobbing. It was coming from some of the other wood pieces.
“Don’t cry,” what was left of the great tree said,’ I’ve been so very lonely since my beloved wife was uprooted and…”
“My husband, is that you!” the voice cried out! It was the great tree’s wife, who had suffered the same fate.
They were so happy to be in the same room and longed to touch their roots, but alas they no longer had roots. They longed to intertwine their branches but they no longer had branches. Morning came and the man entered the room. He picked up the pieces of the tree and began hammering and cutting and doing all sorts of strange things to him. He brought over pieces of the tree’s wife and did the same. Soon a strange thing happened. The two trees felt themselves being joined together in a way they never before dreamed possible. They were so close that it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. They had in fact, become one. When the work was done the man called to his wife to come and see her present. The couple stood back and admired his work. There in the middle of the room was the most perfect love seat ever created.
