Like a Tree (April 01, 2008)

There was this tree in one of my trips that amazes me because of its years of existence. It was written to be more than a hundred years old. Still growing and strong, the tree is one of the highlights inside the temple.

The tree had withstood many calamities, weather change, bugs, soil depletion and others. However, it is now enjoying the care and protection of the temple caretakers.

We, as individuals, won’t make it up to a hundred but we are like that tree in many aspects. We grow and when we reach our maturity, there is a need for us to be independent. Our stakes are taken out because we can manage to stand on our own. Then as we grow old, we change physically and internally. We are faced with many hardships, with joys, with love, with hatred, with negative thoughts, with caress and hugs, and we experience physical pain. That tree is the same- bruised by weather, invaded by bugs, chopped and re-trained.

I heard from a colleague that trees have no feelings but I beg to disagree. They are alive so they also feel. They grow and in the process of living, die as well.

So when we reach maturity, I do hope that we have learned to be like that tree- sturdy, independent and all-embracing. The shade it gives can be the life we share to others, helping and not destroying.