The Tree
by Ronnie McMullen©

As you take a step into the dimensional journey, everyday life is not what it seems to be. We forget that much of our lives are about viewing. Much of our growth and maturity is based on watching, learning, and executing what you have just seen. My question to you (as you begin to proceed down this road) is: How much have you viewed in your life, but did not receive its value? In other words, you watched, you learned, but you never executed what you viewed. You never partook of the plan. In fact, maybe the lesson was stolen from you. Maybe your mind went blank, and you don’t recall the lesson that was given to you years ago.

This story is about a child who watches, and learns, and progresses in maturity. There are issues in life that cannot be explained, yet we know they happened for a reason. And if we tried to recount what we just experienced, people would be in disbelief. The unseen, which can be explained as spirituality, is much more important than the seen. There are few in this world that are actually looking for the unseen. Most people are mesmerized by everyday humdrum distractions…but not the  main character in this story. He pays attention from his youth and learns a valuable lesson in what cannot be seen by the naked eye.

            “Steve, are you about ready?”

            “Yeah, I’m ready. I sometimes get tired of looking at houses. After awhile, they all start looking the same…same bedrooms, a living area, a kitchen, and a place to park the car. Some have trees, some don’t. Some have paint, unfortunately…some don’t. Maybe we should just rent.”

            “I know you’re not thinking straight ,Steve. This is the perfect opportunity to buy a house. I want to plant our own trees, our own grass, our own flowers…and I want you to build a swing set for little Eddie so that he can call this his home.”

            “Baby, that’s great! But Eddie’s three. He’s not going to remember the flowers. He’ll barely remember the grass. And he’ll run into the trees. He’s not gonna really retain anything until he’s seven…eight…nine. I don’t know, whatever the doctors say about it. You know, I’m not a doctor. I work on cars. Ask me about cars and I can tell you anything. I don’t even know anything about women.”
            “Well Steve, you need to know…this woman wants her own house. Eddie wants his own house. And I’m sure somewhere, deep in your heart…you want a house.”

            “Eddie wants a house? He told you that? At three years old, he told you that? Cynthia…You’re stretching things. Easy does it.”

Cynthia smiled. “Well, maybe he didn’t tell me that, but I can read his mind.”

            “Was that before or after the ice-cream?”

            “Oh…by the way Steve, try being nice to the real estate agent this time. She’s working hard to find us our perfect house.”

            “You mean she’s working hard to fill her perfect purse.”

            “Steve, how can you say those things?”

            “The woman doesn’t even know I’m there. She talks to you, and she does the goochie-goo with little Eddie. I’m like one of those ugly block walls that nobody pays attention to. Maybe I’m just a sounding gong. Maybe I’m just a pain in her--”

            “Steve, don’t say it! You look nice today. Let’s go look at some houses.”

            “Let’s not…and say we did.”

            “Steve--”

            “Yeah, yeah…I’m coming.”

Steve and Cynthia began their morning and met with the real estate agent. They spent many hours on Sunday looking at many houses. One after another, after another, until...

            “Listen Marge, my back hurts from getting in and out of your little car. We’ve looked at what? Fourteen houses today? That’s got to be a new world record. I can’t even remember what house three, seven, and twelve look like.”

            “Hey Steve, you need a little cheese with your wine. I’ve got one last house to show you, and I think it might just be what you’re looking for.” said Marge.

            “Marge, that’s what you said with the last twelve houses. You’ve missed it! You know when I golf, and I hook my ball, I don’t even go look for it. I just let it go. Are you getting my drift?”

Marge looked disgusted at Steve. “You’ll like this house. It has a big dirty garage for you. Emphasis on dirty,” she snarled.

            “Listen Steve…let’s just look at one more. What’s it going to hurt? And then we’ll go home, and we won’t look at houses for a couple of weeks,” spoke Cynthia softly.

            “How about…we don’t look at houses for a couple of years…I’ll sign on that one.”

            “You’re so funny.”

            “No, I’m not. I’m so serious.”

They all drove over to the last house for viewing. They got out of the car, and they could see a huge oak tree that almost covered the roof of the house. It was in the backyard, and it was like a hand that protected the house.

            “Wow! That’s an impressive tree!” said Steve. “That’s the biggest oak tree I’ve ever seen in my life. What is that…three or four stories high?”

Marge then poked at Steve. “I told you you would like this house.”

            “Marge, that’s a tree, not a house. I’m looking at the tree.”

 They all walked in the house and went through it. Steve kept thinking to himself, this is not a bad house, it’s just not too bad. He looked over at Cynthia, and she had a huge smile on her face. Eddie said nothing. He didn’t cry, he didn’t jabber…just quiet.

 They finally opened the sliding glass window, and there stood the most impressive oak tree they had ever seen. Its leaves were beautiful. Its branches were wider than the lot. Its height was enormous, and its trunk was massive. Steve and Cynthia were almost in awe looking at this huge oak tree.

But what happened next, was most interesting as they had never witnessed such an event before in their lives. They watched little Eddie walk over to the tree and just lean against it. He then began to jabber and smile and giggle. They started to laugh and giggle as they watched little Eddie react in such a positive manner to the huge oak tree that stood before him.

There were many branches to this old oak tree. If one was a tree climber, it was built like a custom made ladder. The tree was full of life. While the wind blew through the leaves, the birds chirped within its branches, and the squirrels played--hopping from branch to branch. Within the leaves of the old oak tree, there was a peace and calm… another world…that was protected by its branches.

 Steve and Cynthia looked at each other and somehow knew that this was the house. The question that Steve and Cynthia carried in their minds (and probably never shared with one another) was: Was this the house because of the tree? Was the tree the additive that made the house the home? Neither one spoke about it, it was just an unsaid knowing.

 Steve and Cynthia put an offer on the house, and the owners of the home accepted it. Steve and Cynthia were now proud owners. After escrow closed, the three moved in. The house was pleasant and warm, and when the wind blew it was like the old tree sang.

            “You know, Honey…ever since we’ve moved in this house, it’s like I have this incredible peace. The last house we lived in, even though it was a rental, was bigger and fancier…and yet, I like this house better.”

            “I know, Baby. Eddie loves the tree in the backyard. I know when he gets a little taller, he’s going to be climbing that tree. We’d better watch him, cause it’s a big tree. We wouldn’t want him to fall out of that tree. It would make this house become a house of horror.”

            “Listen Cynthia, I climbed a heck of a lot of trees when I was little. And I’m still here. He’ll be fine.”

 The Barlow family comforted themselves in their new home. Year by year, the house grew warmer, and the tree shared its beauty with the neighborhood. It was the talk of the neighborhood--about the old oak tree. There was even protection from the environmental agencies, which protected the oak tree from ever being taken down.

Year after year went by and Eddie grew. And as he grew, Eddie climbed. Branch by branch, Eddie would play in the oak tree. Cynthia knew that Eddie loved the tree. Every day after school, Eddie would rush in, do his homework, and sprint to the tree. It was like the tree was his friend. She even looked out the sliding glass window one day and watched him hug the base of the tree. She thought that was cute and never said anything, yet always had great comfort.

The house had suffered through many storms, but it was as if the tree was a hand that covered the house. If it was pouring rain, the rain would be less over the house. If it was blowing mightily, the wind would be less around the house. And if it snowed, the snow pile would be around the house. Again…it was as if the tree protected the house. Steve and Cynthia found great comfort in having that old oak tree in their backyard.

There were many conversations that surrounded the power and majesty of the great oak tree. They were the neighborhood celebrities because the tree was rooted within their property. Their house sat on a rolling hill, and it was like the tree was a watchtower for the neighborhood.

Steve organized neighborhood barbeques and held them in the backyard of their house. And of course, what better to talk about than the massive tree that shaded the neighborhood from the heat of the day. All who lived in the area were appreciative of the tree. When old branches fell off, Steve would cut the wood and use it for the woodstove inside the house. So as time moved forward, the old tree even provided energy and heat for Steve’s family.

Cynthia enjoyed watching little Eddie climb the tree and received such joy from it…but it was always in the back of her mind--a root of fear that Eddie might fall. She tried to cast out that fear, but it would always attack her. She knew that when Eddie grew bigger, he would climb higher. Every year he would climb to a new level of height.

            One sunny summer day, Cynthia went out to check on Eddie. The tree carried so many leaves that you had to stand at the base of the tree to see within its walls of leaves.

            “Eddie, you up there?”

            “Yeah, Mom! Look how high I am!”

As Cynthia cast her eyes upon Eddie, he looked very small because he was up very high.

            “You be careful, Son. Those branches aren’t as thick on the top!”

            “Oh Mom, I don’t weigh that much…and Biggs will support me.”

            “Biggs? Who’s Biggs?”

            “That’s the tree’s name, Mom. I named him Biggs.”

            “Let me guess…you named him Biggs because of how big he is?”

            “No Mom, I named him Biggs cause of how small he is. Of course, I named him because of how big he is! Isn’t his name great?”

            “Yeah Eddie, his name’s great.”

Cynthia’s neck was starting to hurt from staring straight up the trunk of the tree to look at the bottom of Eddie’s feet. He began to take another step up the ladder of branches.

            “You be careful, Eddie. Those branches aren’t as strong.”

            “Mom, you worry too much. Look…I can even go higher!” Eddie began to take another step up. Cynthia saw the branches getting smaller.

            “Okay…that’s enough now Eddie! You’ve impressed Mom quite enough.”

            “Just one more, Mom…cause then I might be at the very tip of the top!”

            “No. You’re good.” Eddie took another step onto the next branch. “I said NO, Eddie!”

But Eddie paid no attention. He stepped up onto the next branch. “Look at me, Mom!”

            “You’re making me ill! Get down!”

            “Mom, this branch is as strong as steel!” Eddie began to bounce on the branch.

            “Eddie I said no!”

            “Mooommmm…”

And then the inevitable happened. The branch snapped, and Eddie began to fall. (He must’ve been up three stories high.) As he fell, Cynthia covered her mouth in horror of what was taking place. It was like the branch breaking, and Eddie falling, had gone on in slow motion. Nothing could catch Eddie as he was gaining speed in his fall. Cynthia could only imagine what the end result would be, when Eddie hit the ground.

She began to put her arms up as if to catch him and break his fall. She knew deep within herself this would also be a grave danger to even herself. It did not matter. Eddie was her son. She began to pray during the milliseconds that had just passed.

As Eddie was in midair plunging to his death, the miracle began and showed mankind the infinite possibility of the unseen. The wind began to blow, and out of nowhere came two branches that hooked together and caused a safety net to form for little Eddie. Cynthia’s mouth was wide open and she covered it with her hand. The incident was so quick, and yet, was in slow motion as if it was minutes long. Eddie fell onto the net of oak leaves and was suspended seven feet from the ground. He then bounced off the net of oak branches, and fell to the ground on his feet.

Eddie looked at his mother in amazement and said,     “Did you see that? Biggs saved me! I told you he was real. That was fun! I’d like to do that again!”

            “Oh no, you’re not!” Cynthia began to cry. Her knees weakened from the fear of loss. The tree had saved the life of Eddie, and yet she knew she could not share the story. No one would believe her. “You’re coming in for the day, young man.”
            “Oh Mom, I’m sorry. I won’t climb that high anymore.”

            “You may not climb again, young man. Your mama’s lost ten years of her life today!”

            “Mom--”

            “Go to your room! You disobeyed me when I told you not to climb anymore. You think about what you’ve done.”

            “Yes, Mama.”

That night while Steve was watching TV and Eddie was fast asleep, Cynthia opened the sliding glass door and walked out to the old oak tree. She stared at the tree for the longest time. Tears rolled down her face, as she was full of gratitude and thankfulness.

            “Well Biggs, I can’t thank you enough for saving the life of my boy. I wouldn’t have believed the incident unless I had seen it with my very own eyes. I don’t know how to thank you, and I don’t...oh my God...I’m talking to a tree! I’ve lost my mind.”

She stood in silence while she rethought her actions. Within seconds, the old oak tree sang as the wind blew through its leaves. It was as if a choir with flutes and horns…it was as if angels were singing within the walls of the leaves. Tears kept falling down Cynthia’s face, and she was so appreciative of what took place on that day.

“Well Biggs, you’ve convinced me you’re real. But I guess this has to be our secret. I can’t be much of a mother to Eddie if they lock me up and put me in a hospital for being crazy.” Cynthia turned around and went inside. What happened that day was not even shared with Steve.

 Over the next few weeks, Cynthia discouraged Eddie from playing on the tree. He could go in the yard, but she didn’t want him climbing Biggs. Finally, the day came when Eddie had to confront Cynthia’s fears.

            “Mom, ever since that day you won’t let me be with Biggs.”

            “Eddie, it’s a tree! And no…that was scary for me. So I’m not excited about you climbing that tree and maybe falling out again. It was a miracle that you didn’t get hurt! And miracles don’t repeat themselves.”    

            “Mom, your fear is controlling you and causing pain. Let go, Mom. You couldn’t control me being saved by the tree, and you can’t control me falling out of the tree. Life is what it is Mom. We need to live our lives, and we need to live them without being scared. I have peace when I climb that tree, just as you have peace living in this house. Obviously, Biggs didn’t want me to get hurt, and something happened that only you and I witnessed. Please Mom, think about it.”

Cynthia couldn’t believe what was coming out of little Eddie at ten years old. But somehow…someway…she knew he was right. She mulled over Eddie’s words for three days and finally confronted him.

            “Can I speak to you, young man?”

Eddie peeked his head up. “Sure.” 

Cynthia began to shed tears as she shared the depths of her heart. “I need to share with you, Eddie, something maybe you don’t know. You don’t have any brothers or sisters because Mama had complications, and all I could have was you. I’m so excited to have you, young man. You are a major light in my life, and the thought of losing you is more than I can bear. The day you fell out of the tree, was the day that I thought my light had gone out. And to face that again, is more pain than I can understand. I’m sorry, and you’re right. I need to let go. But Son, sometimes Mama just doesn’t know how.”

 Eddie went up and hugged his mom and said, “It’s okay.”

 He pulled away and looked up into her eyes and said, “You can’t control my life, Mom. Only something so big and so powerful--that’s even more than the tree--controls our lives and how long we’re here. If you live with this fear, Mom, you’re going to give it to others, and you’re going to live with fear, control, and unhappiness. We need to live our lives with the best intentions in mind. We need to never be sorry for our actions. That tree saved my life, Mom. And you know it. It is our secret, and it is something that no one else saw. If it was my destiny to die, it would’ve happened. This should be a comfort to you, Mama.” He spoke with his mom as if he were a college graduate.

Cynthia’s tears were falling down her face. “Well…enough talk, Eddie. I have dinner to cook.” And she began to walk away. Eddie put his head down in disappointment, and then his mom turned her head over her shoulder and said, “And you have a tree to climb.”

Eddie almost shouted with joy. “I love you, Mom. Call me when dinner’s ready!”

 Eddie went out and got lost within the leaves of the tree.

Years would go by…and Eddie would climb the tree--even as he matured in age. He became interested in law and would read his books up on the branches of the tree. The birds would sing and chirp, and he would feed the squirrels as they ran across his lap.

Eddie became knowledgeable in law and in universal law. Eddie became spiritual, and the tree was like looking into another world. It seemed everything outside the leaves of the tree was tainted and dirty. And everything within the leaves of the tree was pure and spiritual.

 Eddie loved his mother and his father. His father was a simple man and had little spirituality. He wasn’t a bad man, he just could not grow in the spiritual realm. His mother was very spiritual, but would not talk about it. It was like there was a knowing between Eddie and his mom, yet nothing was said.

            “Biggs, I’m going to be a lawyer. I see too much in school, and I think there needs to be a man to uphold justice. What do you think, Biggs?”

 The wind blew through the leaves. Again, it sounded as if angels were singing. “Boy, it’s windy today! If I wasn’t inside of you, my hair would be all poofed.”

 The birds within the tree were acting funny. The winds were blowing, and they were warm winds. Santa Ana winds. There hadn’t been much rain, and there was a dryness within the city.

“Well, I think I’m tired of reading, Biggs. I’m going to go have some dinner and go to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow, old man.” Eddie had done his homework. Years had passed, and he calculated Biggs to be somewhere around three hundred and twelve years old.

That night, while Eddie was watching TV with his Dad, a fire broke out a few miles away. It was a very bad fire. Because of the Santa Ana winds, homes were catching on fire. The neighbors started to work together to save each other’s houses. They started to water the roofs, but the fire was hot and many homes were being lost.

Steve came home as the fire was approaching their house. “The Branson’s just lost their home. My God! The fire’s about a block and a half away. Where’s Eddie?”

            “He’s in the backyard, Steve.”

 Steve opened the sliding glass door, and there stood Eddie watering Biggs. “What are you doing, Son?”

            “I’m watering Biggs.”
            “We need to water the house…not the tree.”

Eddie turned around and looked at his father. “Dad, this tree’s been here a hell of a lot longer than this house. We need to save Biggs. We can rebuild our home.”

 His father did not understand. “We can save our home and plant another tree.”

Eddie was angry. “You’re not going to plant a tree like this, Dad. Get a grip!”

Steve had never seen his son talk to him like that. “You’re right, Boy.” Steve went out and helped water Biggs. “Spray up into the leaves, Son. Get all his branches wet…not just his roots.”

His dad went and hooked all the hoses together, and brought the hose from the front of the house to the backyardm so that they could run water from two hoses. Eddie looked over at Steve while he was watering the leaves over the house. The water was dripping onto the roof of the home.

It was like during the stress of that time, Steve and Eddie became partners. Eddie looked over at his father and just smiled in admiration. Steve caught the look from his son, and tears welled up in his eyes. It was one of the first times that Eddie connected with his father. You might say that they were on the same page.

 Immediately, the sliding glass door slid open and Cynthia yelled out the window. “The fire’s three doors down! They’re telling us to evacuate!”

 Eddie yelled, “I’m not leaving!”

            “Just keep watering, Son. Just keep watering.”

 The family could hear the sirens. Ten minutes later, they could see the fire jump to their next door neighbor’s house.

            “I’ve got to go help our neighbors!”

            “Go Dad! Be careful! I’m going to keep watering Biggs.”

The water from the leaves and the branches was dripping upon the house. The next door neighbor’s rooftop was ablaze. As Eddie was watering Biggs, he saw that his branch almost touched the neighbor’s house. All of a sudden, the wind blew a spark of a flame, and it spread onto Eddie’s house. The fire started to blaze. Immediately, one of the branches of the oak tree slapped the fire and put it out.

Eddie sprayed his branch and screamed, “That a boy, Biggs!”

The wind began to blow again, and Eddie could see his father on the rooftop of the neighbor’s house. The fire was starting to get higher on the neighbor’s roof. Steve started to cough and fell to his knees. Suddenly a flame jumped onto Steve’s back and began to burn. Eddie could hear his father screaming. The neighbor was yelling at Steve to get down, and for him to jump because his shirt was ablaze. What happened next was another miracle. The old oak tree slapped Steve’s back with a violent motion, and the water that was on the leaves put the fire on his back out.

Eddie yelled at his dad, “Grab the branch, Dad!”

Steve, not knowing what to do, grabbed the branch of the old oak tree. The wind picked him up, as he held onto the branch, and it set Steve back on the ground safely. It was as if that old oak tree rescued Eddie’s dad, and put him safely on the ground.

 Flames were rising on the neighbor’s house, and where the oak tree could reach, it would put out the fire. Eddie fueled the tree with water, but the pressure was low. And within minutes, the tree was on fire.

 The people watched the old oak tree and screamed as if its pain were making a sound. The oak tree whipped its branches and leaves through the air to put out the fire. Eddie took the hose and sprayed as much as he could, but the fire was fierce. The branches of the old oak tree always hung over Eddie’s house, but during the time of the fire, there was not one branch that hung over. It was as if the great hand of the oak tree stayed away from the home.

The fire was picking up momentum, and the oak tree could not fight it. Leaves and branches were burning, and branches of the tree were falling to the ground, completely on fire. Not one branch fell on the home. Not one branch fell on the neighbor’s home. The tree was self-destructing on its own land in the backyard. Eddie had to back away because the flames were hot.

            “Where’s the damn fire department!?” Eddie cried out.

            “Son, everybody’s house is on fire.”

Eddie stood and cried, “Biggs is dying!”

            “I know, Son. Biggs saved me.” Eddie hugged his father and they both cried.

A couple of hours later, the fire department showed up and sprayed down the tree and the burning branches in the backyard. The Fire Chief walked up to Steve. “I can’t believe your house has not one burn mark on it. Everyone in this neighborhood has suffered damage on their homes…except for you.”

Steve looked at the Fire Chief and said, “I don’t want to seem unappreciative, but I sure wish you could’ve been here earlier. I would’ve liked to have saved that old oak tree.”

They all stared at the oak tree, whose branches had fallen to the ground on fire. The tree had lost over half of its branches, all of its leaves, and the trunk was scarred with black charcoal. It looked like a tree from a horror movie. Its beauty was gone.

The fire passed, and the neighborhood began to repair itself. Eddie went out to climb the tree, but many of the branches cracked, as it had weakened through the fire.

Eddie sat at the base of the tree and read his books. “Biggs, I know you’re hurting, my friend. But I won’t leave you. You never left me, in all of your beauty and all of your majesty, and now it’s a time for me to repay you.”

Eddie went out after school and would sand some of the charcoal edges off the tree. He cleaned up all the branches…and what was left, he would cut into pieces for firewood. There were no leaves left on Biggs. There were no leaves to whistle with beautiful joy and sound, and few birds would come sit on the branches for there was nothing to shade their little heads.

 Biggs was a sight for sore eyes. He could not whistle, he did not sing, and his branches had no flexibility. He was scarred from a fire that had gone wild. But every day, Eddie would come and speak to Biggs as if he were real. “You know, Biggs, you look like crap right now…but I wouldn’t worry about it. You’re still the biggest tree in the neighborhood, and though you’ve lost a lot of branches, maybe there’s a purpose. We’re getting ready for winter and the extra firewood is kind of nice. We’re actually sharing our firewood with some of the neighborhood because all of the little trees are gone. So, truthfully Biggs, you didn’t just save us…you saved a lot of the neighborhood. They’re going to be warm this winter, and it’s all because of you. Truthfully, I wish the house would’ve burnt down and not you, but I don’t think Mom could cope with that. Somehow, I think you knew that. God’s preserved you over three hundred years, my friend. And I don’t think there’s a fire on this earth that could take you out. Our first snow is coming Tuesday…and then it’s going to turn to rain. So enjoy the water, old boy. I’m sure it feels good on your arms.” Eddie went into the house--and it rained and it snowed--and was a blustery winter.

Spring came…and as always, Eddie did his homework at the base of the tree. Because Biggs was so scarred, sometimes Eddie would not notice what the old tree looked like. It was as if the tree stood naked and shamed by the great fire that had stripped him of his beauty. Yet the tree still stood. It did not look nice, but it still stood.

One day, Eddie was reading and doing his homework. (He was getting straight A’s.) Eddie looked up at one of Biggs’ branches. Through some of the black charcoal, he could see buds. He then began to touch and look at all the branches of the tree. And all he could see were buds. He began to scream and shout and laugh, and pretty soon his mom opened the sliding glass door.

            “Are you okay, Eddie? What are you screaming about?”

            “Mama! Biggs overcame! Look at all the buds on his branches!” Cynthia went out and touched some of the branches on Biggs. Sure enough, there were buds all over the tree.             “Nothing can stop this tree, Mama. He’s an icon.”

Cynthia had tears in her eyes--as two of the branches that had some of the most incredible buds--were the same branches that had come together and preserved the life of Eddie. That was her memory. That was her experience. That was her miracle.

Within a few months, Biggs had been manicured by the fire, but had beautiful leaves that created a thin wall, once again, around the old oak tree. Eddie knew it would take a couple of years to create the thick wall of leaves that Biggs once had. The birds returned, and the squirrels began to leap back into the branches of the scarred oak tree.

 Eddie began to sand the trunk and take off the black. “You know, Biggs, you don’t look good as a black tree. So, I thought I’d sand some of your bark and bring out the luster of your beauty.”

 After weeks of sanding, the beautiful grain of the root in the tree showed as if it were a gorgeous coffee table for people to admire. After months of work and a beautiful summer, Biggs began to sing once again.

            “You know, Biggs, I’ve missed you singing to me. It’s about time! There’s nothing better than the music from your limbs. They will bring me peace the rest of my life.”

Years would pass, and Eddie would grow up and become a successful attorney. His parents grew old, his dad passed away, and his mother became crippled. Eddie got married, and his wife gave birth to Eddie, Jr.

Eddie, Jr. had the same reaction with the tree that his father had. Over the years, Biggs had grown into the same beautiful tree that he once was in Eddie’s youth.

Eddie built a small casitas in the backyard for his mom. He bought the house from his parents and continued the generational admiration of the neighborhood. Eddie would hold some of the same barbeques that his father had once started many years ago. Many of Eddie’s school friends moved away and went to other places. But Eddie had made that property a home when he was a child. And even though he could afford a house many times over what the worth of the house he lived in was, he did not. All of those custom homes, in the ritzy part of the city, did not carry the overshadowing hand of the old oak tree.

            Are there things in our lives, which stand right before us, and yet we pay no attention to them? Is there such a miracle within the walls of the unseen--that can make us leave the traditions of this world--for a gift that is seen within nature? In our Journey, what is our worth? Is it how we look? What job we have? How big our house is? Or is it the simplicity of nature that has no monetary value? This is for you to decide and for you to ponder.

Maybe there’s a tree in your life. A bush…a meadow…a lake…or such…that takes you outside of your element. And if this is truth, what can you learn within its boundaries? Is the unseen--and the reality that takes place behind the veil of everyday life--is this a part of your Journey?