In the forest there is a tree, thick branches and all
But it has no leaves, for it is afraid to grow
The weather around it is sunny and bright
But to the tree the weather is dark, cold, and full of fright
It lost its leaves in the fall and they never came back
It is too scared to sprout them again, fearing the cold
The tree does not wish to feel the winter
And worries of how to know for sure its gone
So instead the tree decides to be safe and stay dormant all summer-long
Lucky for this tree, on one fateful day,
A sweet old lady went apple picking away
She came to this forest, picking fruit after fruit
When she spotted the sad little tree, with no fruit, with no leaves
“My, my!” Cried the old woman, “What a dreadful tree! Never before have I seen one so sad!”
With boldness she approached, feeling the chill released from the trunk
Then she asked, “What are you doing? It's spring! Do you not see the way your neighbors flourish? Do you not feel the warmth of the wind?”
The tree sighed, shifting its dying branches before speaking, “I do not wish to flourish, I wish to feel at ease.”
“At ease? This is what you call it? Oh my dear this is not bliss, this is sentencing yourself to death! You must sprout and grow or behind you will be left!”
“Oh but I am scared” The tree mumbled softly, “perhaps death would be better than this, for I fear what happens if I enter the cold.”
“So you are afraid of sorrow? Of pain? Of hardship? And instead chose to die? Why now you are sentencing yourself to a fate worse than death! Look around, the winter has left. The only cold left is the cold in your head!” The old lady gently touched the tree’s trunk, then continued on,
“The winter will return— But you're wasting all your time dreading it. Enjoy this peace, before it comes to pass.”
The tree is silent, unsure what to do
But at last it speaks, accepting the truth,
“ you’re right, It’s true, It’s time to break through!”
And so with a sudden burst of strength,
The not-so-sad-little-tree grew thousands of leaves,
With the plumpest of fruits growing amongst its branches
This tree, in astonishment, admired the breeze,
The warmth of the land, and the beauty of the green
That tree could see everything,
And ever since then,
It felt it could finally breathe
And be free.