Parable of the Trees
In the spirit of being as wise as a serpent, I have decided to relay a parable. I make no claim to being a good story-teller, but this seems to be the most appropriate medium for the given content. I suspect those who have ears to hear (or eyes to see, in this case) will be able to hear its message. However, if you have any questions and would like to ask me the next time you see me, or even email me, feel free to do so...
There was a man who was given a task to do. This task involved working with seedlings of all shapes and kinds. His main job was to water the seedlings so they would grow into good, strong trees. This was his official job description, that of waterer and nurturer. But as he worked among these seedlings, and even before, he hoped those he cared for might someday be more than just strong trees. After all, trees are necessary for a good forest, but forests tend to die. And they certainly don't go anywhere, or ultimately enjoy pleasures like humans do. This man had a desire to turn the trees into men and women. If his employer had known this, maybe he would have gotten fired. After all, it sounds crazy, no? How can you turn a tree into a person?
Well, it so happened that this man had once been a seedling himself. But once upon a time he had heard about the availability of some magic water that was able to turn him from a seedling into a man. All he had to do for this to happen was to ask for the magic water. So, not knowing what to expect at first, as a seedling he had asked for and gotten some of this magic water. The change in his life had been amazing. Not only was he able to recognize the futility of forever remaining a tree, but he was able to enjoy life as a man in a way that would never have been possible had he remained a seedling, or even grown into a strong tree.
One day, after a year of working in the seedling nursery, and seeing a number of different seedlings come and go, this man was assigned to oversee a new group of seedlings. Even as this happened, he yearned for some of these seedlings to be able to hear about the magic water and be changed into humans. Imagine his pleasure and surprise when one of the new seedlings from the very beginning showed signs of already having taken some magic water, and becoming a woman! He wasn't sure at first. As strange as the idea of not being able to tell a woman from a tree may seem, in the seedling nursery things can become quite confusing. Often humans tend to blend in with the trees. Moreover, in his job as waterer, he was limited in his ability to determine to what extent seedlings have become humans. After all, if his employer saw that he was doing something other than nurturing and watering baby trees, he might be removed from his job. Many seedlings had the ability to report such lapses to the man's boss, and probably would if they saw their caretaker going beyond his job description.
However, despite the challenge of maintaining his position as a waterer, the man was finally able to corner the "seedling" and conclude that it is quite likely this indeed is a woman. In addition, the woman told him that there is another woman in the same section of the nursery that he tends, and quite likely a third woman. This amazed the man. In all of the caretaking of various sections of the nursery, he had never found one human in any section. Now he has three in the same section! Amazed and pleased, the man went home rejoicing that there are seedlings in his nursery who have already accepted the magic water.
There was a man who was given a task to do. This task involved working with seedlings of all shapes and kinds. His main job was to water the seedlings so they would grow into good, strong trees. This was his official job description, that of waterer and nurturer. But as he worked among these seedlings, and even before, he hoped those he cared for might someday be more than just strong trees. After all, trees are necessary for a good forest, but forests tend to die. And they certainly don't go anywhere, or ultimately enjoy pleasures like humans do. This man had a desire to turn the trees into men and women. If his employer had known this, maybe he would have gotten fired. After all, it sounds crazy, no? How can you turn a tree into a person?
Well, it so happened that this man had once been a seedling himself. But once upon a time he had heard about the availability of some magic water that was able to turn him from a seedling into a man. All he had to do for this to happen was to ask for the magic water. So, not knowing what to expect at first, as a seedling he had asked for and gotten some of this magic water. The change in his life had been amazing. Not only was he able to recognize the futility of forever remaining a tree, but he was able to enjoy life as a man in a way that would never have been possible had he remained a seedling, or even grown into a strong tree.
One day, after a year of working in the seedling nursery, and seeing a number of different seedlings come and go, this man was assigned to oversee a new group of seedlings. Even as this happened, he yearned for some of these seedlings to be able to hear about the magic water and be changed into humans. Imagine his pleasure and surprise when one of the new seedlings from the very beginning showed signs of already having taken some magic water, and becoming a woman! He wasn't sure at first. As strange as the idea of not being able to tell a woman from a tree may seem, in the seedling nursery things can become quite confusing. Often humans tend to blend in with the trees. Moreover, in his job as waterer, he was limited in his ability to determine to what extent seedlings have become humans. After all, if his employer saw that he was doing something other than nurturing and watering baby trees, he might be removed from his job. Many seedlings had the ability to report such lapses to the man's boss, and probably would if they saw their caretaker going beyond his job description.
However, despite the challenge of maintaining his position as a waterer, the man was finally able to corner the "seedling" and conclude that it is quite likely this indeed is a woman. In addition, the woman told him that there is another woman in the same section of the nursery that he tends, and quite likely a third woman. This amazed the man. In all of the caretaking of various sections of the nursery, he had never found one human in any section. Now he has three in the same section! Amazed and pleased, the man went home rejoicing that there are seedlings in his nursery who have already accepted the magic water.
posted by redsoxwinthisyear at 9:49 PM
7 Comments:
Wow. But, umm, I would be careful what stories you tell. Since people in "the system" could be monitored more, than say, people like me.
Nice story. I am just paranoid :)
Excellent story Chadley Danielle!
A well-crafted and inspiring parable.
(Chadley Danielle?? Wow, that must be one of those mom-only names! Ha ha!)
Good parable, and I rejoice with the "nursery keeper"! Keep up the good work!
Great story! And hooray for the meaning behind the story! Though I would have titled it something more like "Man Meets Woman" or "Man Meets Woman in an Orchard" ....
Huzzah!
Um, Chadley Danielle is not a mom-only name! It is a lifted-by-mom name, crafted by yours truly to inflict great anguish upon the distinguished author of this blog. It was so successful, in fact, that at one time (probably the age 11-13 era) our dear father forbade me ever call him that again. Alas, I have disobeyed several times since, but I console myself with the thought that I am keeping the spirit of the command, because the name no longer has the terrorizing effect on my dear little brother.
Post a Comment
<< Home