I stood underneath the tree, I was so hungry, I needed to eat, I was famished not just needing a snack, but genuinely requiring nourishment, the hunger was so much that I started shaking and shivering. In my state I grabbed the tree with my two hands, shook it vigorously demanding that it rain down some nourishment on me. I did these for hours, not a single fruit fell down. Rather a few branches and leaves from the tree came down on me. I walked away from the tree, I did not go far and I came back, stood a fair distance and eyed the tree, giving it all kinds of ugly stares and stern looks for hours but nothing happened again.
That was when I moved closer, I was now angry, hungry and angry I started punching and kicking the tree vigorously, in the process hurting my knuckles and feet. I rained all kind of abuse and insult on the tree, not mincing my words, I told it how ugly and disgusting it was with it’s wrinkly brown skin and placid mild manner stance. I told the tree how self-centred, selfish, uncaring and aloof it was. Like Jeremy Clarkson and Meghan, I told the tree how I hated it at the cellular level and wished all kind of evil upon it. I was livid and mad, I had needs that the tree has not met and I could not understand the existence of the tree, as far as I was concerned the tree was just cumberring the land in its docile, unflinching, unhelpful and disengaging state. I wished annihilation on the tree, total death on it. I knew there was no logic or rational to me behaviour, I am not sure if I knew but I felt justified in my self righteous indignation. I was seeing red, I was mad and wanted justice for all my unmet needs and self inflicted wounds. Done with all my venom and anger I slumped like a sack of sand at the base of the tree exhausted from the truma of my behaviour.
I slept off and an angel of God appeared to me asking what ailed me. I explained my situation. The angel admonished me to put my hands to work, for he that does not work will not eat. He told me that it was not the season for the fruit bearing tree, in it’s season it will bear it’s fruits. He gently led me from the base of the tree to a place of peace and calm, I found my calling, worked with my hands, clarified my vocation and nourished my soul.
After a long time, I was in town and I passed by the tree, it was in season and all the branches were drooping with rich jucy fruits, the ground was littered as well. There was abundance. I was in a good place, I was not famished or in need. I plucked just one fruit, shared fellowship, ate and continued my journey.
To all trees out there, fear not the terror by night or the arrow that flies by day time. To all tree shakers, don’t shake the tree before it’s time, for you will hurt the tree or kill it but more importantly you will poison yourself for the fruits are unripe and unsuitable for consumption. In His time, He makes all things beautiful.
Beautiful Ivory 