The Secret of the Tree

Today in HermanVille I was told a story. I was peacefully reconnoitering our wonderful gardens. I was stopped by a citizen who sat me down on one of our beautiful cedar benches and began to tell me the following story. It left an indelible mark. I'll share it with you.

The Secret of the Tree
Once, years ago, there stood a half-man by a tree contemplating the meaning of life. He came up with no conclusion and shed no tear for he was only half
of what he was supposed to be.
He began to walk away from the tree wanting to just fade into the horizon he saw up ahead. But suddenly he could go no further for he had come upon a fork
in the road. And being only half of the what he was supposed to be he could not divide himself and take both paths simultaneously. To this the tree just
laughed at the half-man's dilemma. Such a sound it made. It's only purpose seemingly was to echo inside the half-man's brain at a pitch so loud as to cause
a tear to be shed.
The tear rolled down the half-man's cheek and landed on the dusty ground. In its place a flower grew. The half-man became awed and within him began to
swell the feeling of the possession of beauty.
He bent down and picked the flower by the root and put it in his pocket thinking his possession would be the safest there.
Suddenly finding courage, the half-man took a path to walk..The tree replied with a chuckle and a rustling of its leaves.
And the half-man walked and walked and walked, fading into the horizon, losing the courage he once possessed.
He stopped, feeling old and tired. He decided to take his flower out of his pocket for more inspiration so he might go on. But when his hand went to grasp
it, the flower, dried and dead, crumbled through his fingers.
Suddenly a high pitch echoed through the half-man's brain. He turned around and saw the tree that he had once stood by and contemplated the meaning of
life.
The half-man realized that he had wound up exactly where he had started from.
Once again the tree emitted its unique tone only to again cause a tear to roll down the half-man's face. But this time the tear did not fall to the ground
for the half-man caught it in his hand and he became whole.