The Tree and The Stone

One day the earth shook violently, waves in the sea leapt high into the air, as high as the hills and the mountains. Large birds and small birds shuddered in the vibrations, young trees and old trees bowed until their branches touched the ground and the mountains threw off their earth coats to release huge boulders into the air, like petulant children throwing rocks at the sky.

One large stone, angry at this unwanted interruption in his stony life, returned to the quivering earth and fell against a young tree.  “Do you mind if I rest here a moment?” Stone grumbled, embarrassed to admit that being propelled through the air, spinning and tumbling, had frightened him and made him confused.  “Of course you may rest here,” Tree replied.  “In fact, let me hold you up while you regain your strength.”  Tree’s kindness was accepted and while Stone slowly returned to his grumpy self, they began to talk about the strange events of the day, then how it felt to fly through the air, and how it was to be a tree anchored to the earth.  They wondered together about this and that until many years had passed.

On a bright and beautiful day, when the late spring flowers were dancing in quiet
meadows and brightly colored hummingbirds kissed each one gently, Stone suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, my!  We have talked for so long!  And look at you!”  It was true that Tree had changed over all this time.  He was no longer straight and tall, but bent over after holding the weight of Stone for so long.  And the strangest thing!  Tree was changed in shape and form at the point where he had reached out and  given  help all those years ago.  He would never again be like the other trees.

Stone felt great sadness.  But Tree reassured him.  “There is no fault.  There is no blame.  Wasn’t it only yesterday that you fell from the sky into my arms?  Time has gone so quickly in our conversations.”  “But…” Stone began to speak again.  “No,” Tree interrupted, “speak no more of regrets.  In truth, joy fills me from my roots to that highest leaf.  There is no reason for remorse.
We are friends.”