If Only Trees Could Talk

Jonathon sat under the apple tree to have his lunch. It was a warm, sunny day, and the sun’s rays were warming his body. It felt good.

He was just about to take a bite out of his sandwich when an apple fell on his head.

“Ouch, what th …” he exclaimed, looking around to see who had thrown it at him. He was not a big boy, quite small in fact. That made him a target for bullying. He was always being made fun of by the other boys. They called him “titch” but not in a pleasant way. He half expected to see a group of bots sneaking up on him to steal his lunch.

He could see no one around, so he focused back on picking a big bite of his sandwich. It was his favourite ham and cheese. His mother used to put tomato in as well, but he told her it made it all soggy, so she stopped.

Again, just as he was about to take a bite, another apple fell and hit him on the shoulder. This time, there was a voice: “Don’t just ignore me!”

Jonathon looked around, puzzled at where the voice came from. “Who’s there?” he asked, “Come out where I can see you."

He didn't really want them to come out; he just wanted to eat this sandwich in peace.

"It's me,” said the voice. “Me, the tree!”

"What? Trees don’t talk!”

“Who says? Just because people can't hear us doesn’t mean we can’t talk. You are gifted, Jonathan, a tree whisperer if you like.”

Jonathon did not know whether to be pleased that he had a unique skill or worried because he was talking to a tree.

“You’re not like the others,” the tree said. “I’ve listened to you many times when you talk to yourself during lunch." The world is not fair, is it, Jonathan? The way you get bullied just because you are small. It is not all bad, you know.”

“What do you mean?” asked Jonathan.

“Look at me, I am ten years old. In a few years, they will come and cut me down. They’ll do it without mercy, claiming I’m too big and woody to be useful. Nobody believes that trees have feelings.”

Jonathon pondered what the tree was saying, “Trees have feelings,” he thought to himself.

“Every year, they come around and cut off my branches to keep me small. Doesn’t anyone think about how painful it would be to have your limbs cut off and be left to bleed until a scab forms?” said the tree.

“Doesn’t anyone appreciate the things that I do for men?"

“I provide shelter for the birds that keep the insect pests under control. I provide pollen for the bees so that man can have his honey. I provide apples for his apple pie and apple sauce. I even provide you with shelter while you have your lunch. But then, when I get too big, they just cut me down and discard me. Who gave man the right?”

Jonathon was really thinking now. He had never thought of trees as having feelings, let alone being able to talk.

“Gee, I’m sorry, Mr Tree. I have never thought about it like that.”

“You and the rest of the world, Jonathon. By the way, it's Mrs. Tree.”

“It’s OK, there is nothing you can do about it. I just wanted you to know that being small is not always bad, so don’t let those kids get to you. You will end up being far more important than they will ever be, small or not. Be thankful for what you have and be thankful that you are not a tree."

“Next time you come here for lunch, say hello, and we will continue our conversation. There is much more I can tell you about life. Enjoy your sandwich. I have to go and make some fruit.”

[A/n: This is the latest story in a category that I call “52 Guiding Lights." The last one was “Do You Spend Too Much Time Looking in the Rearview Mirror?" They are about life lessons, and when I have enough (52), one for each week of the year, I will put them out as a book. I am halfway there.

The moral of this story is “Be grateful; there will always be greater and lesser than yourself. Life changes, and sometimes you do not know what lessons you learn until later in life."]

Till next time,

Calvin