Do you know me?!!

I was summoned by the God, so keeping aside all my commitments I rushed to his abode. When I reached his chamber, I saw god was pacing around, brooding over something very important. His posture and strain on the face told me that there was some trouble. As I exchanged pleasantries with him, he asked me to sit down for a discussion. How are things on earth, he asked. I said, well! What can I say, your special child, “MAN” is doing too many things for comfort. Not all appear so.

After listening to me, God said, “My dear friend, I had sent you to Earth so that you can give company to my special child and give him all the directions.” I doubt your competency and I feel like testing your ability. As you say God, I replied.

So, the God continued….. At midnight, I will send you to earth for a special test. Remember, you will not know who you are, will have no extra powers. You will be sent to Earth as any living thing. With that he asked me to get ready.

At the stroke of midnight, I felt a strong force of wind behind me and all I could feel was total darkness. I was falling into a pit of darkness. After a long free fall I suddenly banged against something with a thud. I was totally disoriented and my head was spinning. Every thing was dark around me and I just closed my eyes for comfort.

When my senses returned, I opened my eyes to see light falling on me. As I gathered my thoughts and looked around, I was baffled. It was a land of boulders and sands every where. Hot Sun was burning over me and I could see no living thing around me. Is this really Earth?!!

Days passed and all I could do was open and close my eyes. I longed to see another living being but, alas! Nothing ….. One afternoon there was a big sand storm and suddenly I was lifted in the air and thrown against the wind. As the storm went, I continued to roll with it. I never knew when I crossed the desert and surprisingly I was pushed into a parched land.

Again days passed and even this time there was not a single living being to be heard or seen. Hot Sun in the day and stars in the night were my only company. I was becoming weaker by the day and it appeared that, I would not survive another week. As the countdown began, my resources were running out.


I was getting ready to spend another solitary day of enduring heat and dust and just then the slight hint of wind picked up. Must be another storm, I thought but the rushing in of dark clouds proved otherwise. As I had anticipated, it rained that night and the heaven kept pouring for the next three days. The stream gathered at the corners and joined the universal flow – to the River. The water filled up the parched land and I got lifted out of the crack and slowly the river took me across and pushed me into a hole at the bank.

The wind took the clouds away to a new destination and everyday the landscape kept changing. First I had sprouting grasses to keep me company and followed by the hoard of animals appearing out of distant land, coming to the banks to quench their thirst. And then I sprouted…………..

Time brought me close to many living beings but they went as they came, the Fish, the Deer, the Lion, and the Buffalo and so on. I had grown to a seedling now and had pretty light green leaves. I think I was quite beautiful because every now and then I would see a few of them throwing interesting looks at me. And one day the Monkey arrived. Perhaps it was curiosity that he wanted to check out. I wouldn’t imagine him coming at me when he had plenty to eat in the big tree that was nearby. But it happened…. He probably liked what he saw and started pulling me out. I resisted the pull by pushing myself deep into the ground and spread my legs as deep and further that I could but with every passing moment, the pain increased and I had just a little more strength left. Something snapped nearby and the Monkey jumped away to climb the tree.

It was the stampede of the Wildebeest and they were heading my way. They jumped into the River one after another and I got crushed under their hooves again and again. Since the Monkey had almost uprooted me, I had no strength left for this ordeal and then the blow came which made me faint. When I regained consciousness hours later, it was dark sky with shining stars above and I realized that most of my beautiful leaves were gone and I had only a fragment of my root in the ground. Luckily, the blow had sent me deeper into the hole and I knew I had a chance to live.

Weeks passed and new leaves grew and gave me the energy and strength to recover. With time I grew into a bush-height lush green tree. In the days I would be a protection for the prey to hide and at times, I would see the Predator sit behind me and watch his prey for the kill. Some won, some lost, some escaped and some died. Probably that’s natural, I thought.

It’s three years since the first rain and I was getting ready to celebrate my birthday with the first ray of light that I saw him……

It was a curious young boy who had come to the bank of the River to steal a smoke in the early hours before people in the camp woke up for the daily chores. After he was done, on impulse he took a stone and pulled out a nail from his jacket. After contemplating for a while he carved a name “MOM” on me. Since I had not developed too much of a girth, with every hit of the nail into me, I bled and had no means to communicate the ordeal that I was undergoing. After he was done, he just looked at his art in an amused way and out of the bolt he hammered the nail deep into me. What a way to celebrate the birthday, I thought and cried out.

Years passed and I was growing steadily into a semblance of a big tree. Every now and then when the wind blew strongly, I would see the older big tree express her resentment of my growth by cracking against my branches. Well! I was not a giant as she was and all I could do was save my branches from more destruction. Since she was the only fruit tree in the vicinity, she had every animal and bird to give her company.

It was my tenth year and I blossomed for the first time. In a few days I had more flowers than the leaves that I could see and I had visitors galore. Even the boy started visiting me regularly and when I bore fruits, for the first time I realized, the satisfaction of giving. Some of the monkeys moved onto my branches for permanent abode and so did many birds. Human beings too would come regularly to harvest the fruits. Slowly in their folk lore, I got a name, “The MOM Tree”. My tussle with the big tree continued and she would not miss a chance to hurt me whenever the wind blew strong. One night, the wind brought the dark clouds again and there were thunderclaps everywhere. Every one of us was scared and none dared to whisper lest the thunder heard it. Just at that moment there was a deafening clap nearby and I heard, “CCCRRRAAACCCCK”.

I opened my eyes fearing the worst, and then I saw the big old tree slowly tilting and falling on me. Since she was still a shade huge and taller than me, I had to summon all my strength to counter the weight. Next morning after the storm had subsided; the humans gathered under me and started discussing the damage. Some said, “Let’s cut the tree because there is less chance that it would survive and if we do not cut it, the old tree might uproot the new one”. Others exclaimed, “Let’s wait for a few weeks. If the old tree is dying, we will bring it down”. The brouhaha continued and after all the arguments it was decided that the humans will wait for three weeks. Someone exclaimed, “Not a day more. We are dependent on these trees for fruits and let’s not kill them both.”

Later that night, she spoke to me for the first time. She was obviously in a lot of pain and had trouble speaking. I am so ashamed of myself, she said. I used to envy you all the time and even broke many of your branches. I know you must be angry. Well! It happens, I said. Let’s forget the past and see what we can do to make you live. Remember you have only three weeks. As days passed, the tree was getting weaker and weaker because some of her roots had torn free from the soil and she was not getting enough water to nurture herself. It was a week since she fell and some people had gathered around the old tree to assess the situation. It is dying, some said and many nodded in affirmation. Well! It may not live for another week, others concluded.

Another week passed and the old tree weakened further. Now it spoke to me with a resigned tone. Her quietness made me feel, she was giving up…………

It was a bright sunny day and we had a visitor who frequented the old tree for years now. The moment he looked at his tree from the distance and the way he suddenly stopped marching made me deduce that he was shocked. It was the Tusker who would visit the old tree regularly for fruits and used to lie down in its shade during summer. He started examining the damage and after a while, carefully looked up at me. There seemed to a sense of strange communication between us because a few minutes later, he did just what I was thinking about. He carefully approached the old tree and examined the exposed roots as well as the open gash in the ground.

Using his tusks he started digging and pushed the soil over some roots. After covering the roots he moved to the hole and filled it up with earth by kicking his feet around it. It appeared his job wasn’t done. He went to the bank and brought some water in his trunk and poured it around the old tree. He then poured some more on the roots. Just then she regained consciousness and fainted again. As she was slipping back, I asked her to relax. The Tusker felt pleased with the efforts and in return I shook some of my branches to give him a taste of my fruits. He marched away satisfied. That evening she came out of the daze and I realized that she was feeling much better. She was lapping up all the Water and I decided to give her my share too till she got back to her best.

It was the end of three weeks and the humans arrived to examine the situation. They saw fresh green leaves appearing on many branches and decided that the old tree was alive. There was applause of celebration and they all went back deciding to keep the old tree alive. That night I could sense uneasiness in the air. I knew she wanted to talk to me and I knew what was in her mind. After a while, “I said, it’s ok, I am strong enough & deep to hold both of us. There was a sense of camaraderie in the air and for the first time we hugged each other. It was a satisfying feeling and I was glad that I could help.

It has been three years since the storm brought us together and we were becoming an amusement park of sorts. The monkeys would use the reclining old tree as a slider and it was becoming fun place for the little monkeys. One day even the Tusker brought his family around and the junior had a splendid time chasing the squirrels running around and under us all the time. The Tusker was communicating to his wife, his role in the life of the old tree and the way the little one hugged the Tusker, it seemed to convey, “My daddy is the best”. Slowly the folklore started talking about “US” now. They had christened us “Love Trees”.

One bright afternoon the little monkeys were playing as usual and some of the monkeys went to the bank to quench their thirst. All of a sudden there was a big splash in the water and the Crocodile had caught one of the monkeys in its jaws. The trapped monkey was pushing and pulling at the jaws. His head was trapped in the jaws and with every moment, the monkey was getting dragged into the slimy mud. I recognized the white mark on the back of its body. It was the one who had tried to pull me out of the ground when I was a seedling. The monkey was struggling more violently and then there was a loud SSSNNNNAAAAPPPP.

It was the Alpha of the pack. The water splashing all around had attracted him to take a chance at the prey and he had nipped the other Crocodile to leave the prey. Just then the battered and bleeding monkey got a reprieve and he jumped free in the tussle of the reptiles. He ran back to his friends but none seemed to be interested. They watched him in dismay as if they have seen a ghost. He went from one group and another and everywhere he was being chased away. His face was covered with blood and the dripping blood caused frenzy in the camp. It appeared as if no one was pleased with his rescue from the talons of death. Slowly the poor monkey climbed on us and went to the highest isolated branches as he was getting chased away by his compatriots. He was probably thinking, “It would have been better if I had died”. He had a broken arm and his eyes were close to shut as the swelling took over.

It was two days since he moved from the branch. His curious friends didn’t dare enough to check if he was alive. I was waving the branches to dissuade the numerous flies hovering over him. As hard as I could try, they still managed to get to him. He should not die, said the old tree. But what we can do, I thought aloud. Even his friends refuse to help him. Just then we saw a young man coming towards us. It was the lad from the past who had carved the letter “MOM’ on me. The old tree spoke up. If this monkey has to live then there is only one way. I knew what she was thinking. We knew that medicine was the only savior and man was the key. It had become a ritual now. Every time he visited us, he would first run his hand over the art work as if to feel his mother’s presence and would then sit under the shade and read. There were many occasions when we watched him climb on us and inspect the nests of various birds and his gleaming eyes gave us ample proof that he was a nature lover.

How do we get him to notice the injured monkey? Let’s swing the branches, the old tree remarked. He may fall, I replied. Fortunately, he was resting on a branch directly below the sliding part of the old tree and if I shook the branch carefully, he may not have a bad fall. I was about to shake my branches when I saw the usual cloud of dust picking up in the distant horizon. It was the herd of Elephants marching towards the bank for water. As usual, it was being lead by the Tusker. The young man loved this ritual and came to watch it quite frequently. He would watch them playing in water. The little ones running around us to catch each other’s tail was the star attraction. As usual, the young man climbed on me and sat on his favorite branch. The ritual started and while the others had their fill, the Tusker stood under us and watched the proceedings. He immediately sensed the uneasiness in the air and lifted the trunk to smell the danger. He looked up at the branch where the monkey was lying unconscious and pointed the trunk to smell it.

The man immediately understood that there was something wrong on that branch. He tried taking a look but the dense foliage on the branch cut his view. Even when the herd was leaving, the Tusker got everyone in the herd around us, as if to pray for someone. As soon as the herd left, the young man changed branches and when he reached the top, he was shell shocked to find the battered monkey. He immediately picked up the monkey and carefully climbed down. He ran to the village as fast as he could and we knew that the monkey was in safe hands. We had done our best.

We have not seen the man for a month now and we had no idea to know……

It was summer again and the Sun was beating down on all of us. We knew that the heat will bring more animals to the river, more frequently. The land was fuming in reply to the hot Sun and eyes would play tricks with the mind. Suddenly, the old tree called out, “LOOK!!!!” I saw a strange image that looked like a man but it was taller than we had normally seen. Perhaps! It was a mirage. It got closer and the old tree hugged me with joy. It was the young man with the monkey on his shoulder. We had missed them both so much. The monkey had healed completely and he seemed very healthy. The man took him down from his shoulders and directed the monkey to go back to his family. Somehow the monkey refused to budge and seemed eager to be back on the man’s shoulder. As we watched, so did the members of his family. Everyone seemed to have a strange eagerness to greet him or check him.

We perfectly understood his predicament. We were mute spectators to the entire event unfolding in front of us and we wanted the monkey to be happy, wherever he was. Just then the dust cloud in the vicinity informed us that we had company. The young man climbed on us and the monkey followed suit. While the bathing and drinking ritual continued, the Tusker somehow sensed the happiness around us and the herd gathered around us once again. The way they lifted their trunks in unison left little doubt in my mind, as to the meaning of communication in this circle of life.

As the herd marched away, the young man turned his attention to the monkey to share his joy and he saw the gift of life, love, unfolding. The monkey was sitting next to a member of his group. She was grooming him and the man’s eyes swelled up. Nothing to be said or heard, he just watched. He got down and gave one last glance of assurance at the team and he knew his job was done. He didn’t want to leave but he knew he had to…… He looked up at the art work and ran his fingers over me tracing the word “MOM. A tear ran down his cheek and fell on my roots and he turned away.

As he left us, I started hearing a strange voice within me. I had never felt it before but somehow it sounded familiar. I closed my eyes to listen to this voice and a bright image appeared in front of me. You have passed the test my child. You have passed. He touched me with his hands and I realized that I was talking to the GOD. Mankind is safe as long as you are with them. I am grateful to you for reposing that faith in me, I replied. With that he disappeared and I opened my eyes to a different World.

I saw that God has placed me in each and every living creature. I am visible to none but felt by everyone. I am a tree growing in every living creature. As I grow, I watch myself tempered in many ways, by the events of life. The stumbling, getting up and trying again are all part of growing up just as the incidents in my test. I am the last one to die. I leave after the soul departs.

I AM HOPE
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