I will be the Tree

As a growing plant I always looked up to the lush tree by my side, it bestowed shadow, stood by me. It was filled with colors, the flowers and fruits painted the sky for me. I too wanted to grow up to be a strong tree…he smiled back too me.
Later seasons changed and I saw the tree shedding flowers and leaves helplessly and turned to mere skeleton, so weak… I was horrified …. I asked him, why? Again he smiled back at me and told me, whatever he says will not be understood by me, but sure in time it will be. I was upset and thought of the pain, felt angry for this state, yet confused to see him smile. Still he made me smile as he always did, telling me, “You will learn it all when you grow up like me.”

Years passed and I grew up to be a strong tree happy to be there …. I was shelter to many and played a key role to feed many…. My shadow was helping many creations of God…I felt nice about my existence… but when the seasons changed, I too suffered my worst sorrows, I shed my colors, neither the fruits nor the flowers remained. I felt all alone and no one came to me…I felt the end was near…. All the time I stood there I could do nothing but just think and think….

I could always relate myself to so many creations…. When I was lush and green my branches were shelter to the flock of birds that played on my arms and sang there heart out….I felt they are singing for me… I felt I was in love with them… I waited for them to return and I nourished their infants with all the care I could… I was sure I was in love … but I found out soon my believes were wrong… as neither the birds nor the infants stayed with me, when I needed them the most …..

I was also in love with those who cherished my shadow and thanked me for being there. I loved to see new love cherish by my comforts, loves praising the beauty and silence… I waited for them too… so they would sit next to me and praise me … I fed them with delicacy of my fruits and gave them tender smell, the flowers I wore spread the smell for them to return to me ….but once the flowers and fruits were ripped of my skin. They ignored me… When I shed the leaves they never returned…. I was so lost and confused…..I could not find answers….
I almost forgot and the best I could recollect was the tree I looked up to, he was still there, it was old now, yet I felt him there for me, I turned to the old tree…to my surprise, his answer remained the same, “with time I will learn all what I see”

I recognized the same smile that was there ages ago… the only difference this time was he questioned me for the first time. He asked me, “Kid, are you worried, or are you confused?” I was amazed by the question, as he knew what I was going through…I replied “both sir, but how do u know?” He smiled again and said, “I am old but remember I was also young one day.” I asked him for the answers I was looking for but the reply was the same…”time will teach you”

I was stood alone again…with no leaves, no flowers and no fruits… I caste the shadow but that was of my own skeleton…which was of no help to none …well the time went on, seasons changed once again to return what was lost… leaves, flowers and fruits….to my utter surprise all whom I missed or thought I loved returned …. I was more puzzled…..

After being gifted what was taken away, one night I stood alone in my thoughts I heard a voice “Son are you still confused and feel the haze?” I turned around but there was no one….I asked politely “who is this? Is it you sir?”
“I am God! Son don’t feel horrified”… I was zapped….I had mixed feelings, I had so much to ask, I had so much to tell. Now when I feel his presence and he is here talking to me I am in loss of words…..yet I gathered my courage and of course myself to ask God what was playing on my mind.
“Why is it that when I provide what others desire from me with all what I have, they are around me…and when I am deprived of what they like, they either rip me or just leave me alone and go away?”

God replied, “Son, were you really alone that time? I found needy people coming towards you and picking what you dropped….”,
For a second I thought and realized that people did pick up the old shed parts of me….God continued “you know they picked up these twigs and cut your branches because they knew your twigs can help them cook or make beautiful nests and the strong branches can help them craft, build boats, shelter and many uncountable objects…so do you think they left you? Did they not think about you?”

I felt comforted and proud; I asked God “I wanted them around me…as they were earlier”
God replied “Correct they were not there with you but that did not mean they forgot you… because if you realize they were there still the same for you when you were weak, and see now, they returned to you to be with you.”
In a way God was correct….. I mean he has to be… but then why was I feeling this haze…God continued “Son I have made you to serve others and I know you will live and die for it… but I know your emotions are bothering you…. So they should as I have crafted them….but your emotions are not a treasure if you want to captivate them ….. It is indeed a treasure to cherish, when you have the ability to let it go and allow it to meet its destiny….and for you the destiny is to let the love of your life fly or walk away….but I can assure you that without your presence in their individual they can not survive, as you cannot without them.”

I felt sad….and God sensed it….he said “I know you are sad to hear it but I am there with you and for you….even when you feel alone….after all, my special creations rests in my arms after they complete there span….”.
Those were the words that brought a smile and boosted me to stand tall….

God said “I am around when you need me…. never feel alone…. True love is to love some one so much that even if the person is not around you must not feel lost. Love will make you different and special it will fill your heart with the wisdom …and remember I let every one love but true love is attained by only chosen few who know to love without the fear of loosing….”

Then there was long silence and the voice was gone! I stood all alone amazed and I sensed the haze inside me evaporate…. I saw the dawn which presented a color which I saw daily, but this time it seems so different to me… the breeze reminded me of the presence of the holy being…. I was sure that I am the chosen one and even if I am not I will spread my love to be the one. I held no grudges…..In delight I turned around…the same old tree smiled at me and said “Kid you have all the answers and have learned and earned the lesson that you wanted to.”

I was relieved …. I could feel the same smile on my face…and I know this will remain on with me forever…as now I have the motive to love unconditionally…