The Talking Tree

Yet another day as a wanderer, a searcher with empty hands and a provider with empty pockets… I am an old man that has lost all life. Riding around street by street in this scorching heat, my feet often go numb in an endless battle with the worn out paddles of my busted bicycle. My wrinkled and nearsighted eyes are weary and it seems my hands are slipping away leaving my two-wheeled companion uncontrolled as I go down the lane… ahhh I wonder will life slip away from me in this meaningless struggle or will I ever be able to take a sigh of relief… maybe peace??

I have lived a long life working tirelessly, but now I have come to a point where this old, exhausted and weakened body needs to regain strength even before the real work starts. Alas in a world where no piece of land is free, I often seek shelter under the shadows of these generous trees.

Beautiful thick lush green trees under a magnificent blue sky… ahhh is it not how one defines peace??

“Yes! Indeed it is the perfect picture of tranquility.”

Baffled by the unexpected response, I looked around, but there was no one!!! Deep thoughts captured my already drained brain, was it a real voice or am I hallucinating?

Minutes went by as I strived to figure out the state of my mind and it wasn’t long before I fell into a deep slumber (at least for a few minutes I think).

I was falling in and out of sleep, tossing and turning around in disturbance as my empty stomach reminded me that it had been two days since I ate anything, let alone a proper meal. If that wasn’t enough the constant whispering in my ears finally woke me up from my not so peaceful rest.

But to my surprise there was no one!! What was happening? Was I dead or hallucinating?

I gathered courage and asked “Who is there?” And then I heard a reply…. “I am life”.

Nothing made sense as I looked up to the talking tree, what was happening, how was it possible and why was it happening with me? I summed all my questions into one answer… I was dead!

"My life had slipped away, it had bid farewell to this deteriorating body and left my soul in a great burden, for I had failed as a provider… a father."

Tree: “You are not dead my friend! I am life, an old tree that has seen and heard so many tales of hardships, failures and regrets. People often pour their hearts out to trees like us thinking we are lifeless.”

This can’t be right… trees can’t talk I thought in disbelief as I got up and started running. But just as I was glad that I had come so far that I couldn’t see the tree anymore, a strange feeling clouded my heart and mind. I felt sorry that I had run away without even thanking the tree for the shelter I took. My heart was racing and my hands were shaking but my feet were taking steps back to the tree.

As I reached the old tree I couldn’t help but notice how huge it was, a magnificent being, its branches spread out in the air to show its might and its roots reflecting strength on the ground. What a sight to see! I had never noticed that trees were so fascinating.

Breathless… I sat under the tree placing my hand on its trunk in gratitude, “Thank you for giving me shelter in this blistering heat and a cool shadow to rest under."

Tree: You are most welcome my friend. So what’s your story? Where are you from?

“I am a clothier, merely a merchant who sells clothes on a bicycle now.”

To be continued....