A Modern Day Fable

He was a young man, he thought himself ugly as only the truly beautiful can, and with that melancholy he always ran.

Ran away with the idea he was all sorts of negativity, and wouldn't entertain the idea he was not or see, that every soul houses possibility.

His dark hair and soft cheek, his smooth body so long and sleek and his demeanour feining weak, but oh he was so strong not meek.

He withdrew from society and spent most of his time just struggling to keep his mind free, not to be overrun with dark thoughts and misery.

So one day he ventured out and took himself far beyond any doubt, where if he wished it he could scream and shout.

It was in this field there was an oak tree, wise and old it had lived for many a century, and it seemed to draw him nearer calling silently.

The guy kicked and swore at the tree letting his frustrations out wildly, tearing branches from lower limbs see, all the time lost in his despondency.

But the Oak just rumbled in mirth, humans had been doing much worse to his kind since birth, and he sent up roots to entwine the youth from the softest earth.

The roots felt warm and held him which he fought at first, it reminded him too much of an uncontrollable thirst, the times they'd held him captive and tried to mend him - those were the worst.

But the roots never let go, they rocked him after he stopped his struggles to and fro, a gentle rhythm of caring peace that the human had never come to know.

His anger dissipated, and he felt in time less frustrated so the roots withdrew after placing him high in the branches with views over the countryside unabated.

And as he looked out he saw such beauty it gradually warmed his heart, and the leaves rustle gently as he stroked them apart, to see the clouds and blue sky above like a canvas of art.

Nobody had ever taken the time with him, so full of advice they recited their do's and dont's like a hymn, but here was this tree who made his troubless feel less grim; and truth be known his dark outlook less dim.

The tees shared the joy of his friends the sweet singing birds, and the human rejoiced and returned the favour with words, and the tree and his friends all heard; all shared of themselves though to you it might seem absurd.

Sharing is caring in a different guise, and the old tree was extremely wise, he wouldn't push to hear the guy's story it took many tries, but eventually he opened and let go of all his hard lies.

And when the night had come and they'd watched the sunset together, the tree received a hug from his new friend for he'd been patient and clever, you cannot force someone to break their tether, heartache was a difficult storm to weather.

During the night the branches formed a layer of protection, but in the dark they engulfed him and spread and by morning of him there was no detection, he was gone and on reflection...nobody understood or noticed...but from the ground nearby a new speck shone.

A sapling newly sprung, a beautiful tree emerging happy and young, swaying in the breeze to the others it sung, and called out to the world of the joy it had brung.

Some wonder at my tale. Many think that when they try to give love they constantly fail, but that Oak was the Tree of Life setting his dreams to sail and allowing him growth and opportunity to eternally look out on river and dale.

Love is like the roots and branches of a tree, surrounding and entering the crevices within to set a heart free. Every act of Love if not done selfishly, will turn even the darkest dry seed of despair into the most marvellous emerging tree.