Someone who is hurting cannot live up to his/her potential, just like this tree.
Once there was an old tree that had been standing for years and was more green and beautiful each season. One spring, warmed by the sunshine, flower buds appeared and began to unfold. The tree was so happy that it could share its blossoms with everyone. But, those who saw it said, ‘It has never had flowers before so there must be something wrong with it.’ So, they sent for a tree-surgeon who came with his saw. He shook his head saying. ‘Trees of this kind should not have flowers,’ and with that, he hacked off all the branches bearing dainty flowers.
The tree, now misshapen and bereft of blooms was distraught. It survived, but barely. It felt destroyed. Two years passed and some leaves grew back concealing some of the wounded brances but the tree no longer had any visible beauty, its shape destroyed.
One day, a man who loved and understood trees came by. He stopped to examine it and realized how very beautiful it could be. He touched the wounded branches and the tree felt his caress. It began to grow again and renewed its lost shape. Buds appeared once again ready to unfurl, more beautiful than ever before. Its roots drank thirstily and thrust deep into the soil.
This story reminds me of all the people who are hurting; those with a mental illness and other brain illnesses, people with handicaps, those living in poverty, parents with children in war-torn countries, as well as all the other unhappy people all over the world. Let’s help them and make them feel loved again.