The Evergreen Tree

The tree stood in pride, its think roots gracefully wrapped around the stone it grew over. Its lush, almost refreshing greenery housing a variety of birds and a few squirrels. The old, tattered bark had a tinted golden sheen painted over it. They knew it was special when they saw it, the first residents of this pristine village.

This tree has been growing larger and larger for over generations spreading its green blanket across the village protecting it from multiple storms and heavy winds. a single red, plump fruit grows in the exact center of her wings, the fruit that hasn’t fallen in forever. The villagers worship her, they fall at her trunk and touch their heads to her sacred soil and sprinkle vermillion on her. But all stories have villains and the villains of this story are rich people in suits…obviously.

One day as the sun rose over the horizon in the village, rich people in suits drove in on their expensive rich people-vehicles to take a look at the impossible tree. They stood there in front of Her and slowly, over-dramatically took off their sunglasses to see Her in all Her glory. “That fruit. Pluck it off. The future of this world is technology, that fruit will be eaten and we humans can live on forever as this tree does.”

Okay so imagine a rich person wearing sunglasses in a suit climbing a tree. Ridiculous, isn’t it? Well, it happened. One of them climbed up the tree and ripped off the scarlet-tinted gem. Okay, so you’ve imagined that. Now imagine a monk creeping up on these rich-suit-wearing people. Creepy, isn’t it? Well, it happened.

The monk said, “Although the fruit will grant you immorality, what do you plan on doing with it? Your loved ones will perish before your eyes, Mother Earth herself will perish before your eyes. If I were you, I wouldn’t want to see any of that. The immortality that this tree holds is no gift. It is a curse. Understand before you act.”

And he walked away. One of the rich people spoke up, “I would want to consider what that guy just said, he was right. Just put the fruit down and we’ll be on our way.”

…And they did just that.