The wind whipped through the tall pines along the base of the mountain. It was a clear day with the sun shining brightly on the western slopes of the Rocky Mountain National Park. One of the pine cones fell to the rocky face of the mountain and popped, springing loose a tiny seed that was instantly caught up by the wind and whipped up the face of the slope. The wind carried the little seed high above a large granite boulder and suddenly it changed direction and the seed fell into a small crack on the face of the giant stone.
“Oh, no!” the little seed cried, “Not here! I can’t grow here!”
The Creator responded with a gentle whisper, “Patience my little one. It will be ok;” and nothing more was said.
Months passed by as the winter wind blew and the snows covered the mountains including the huge stone where the little seed remained, caught in the small crevice. The winter turned to spring and snow began to melt as the sun began to rise higher in the sky each day. Something strange began to happen within the confines of the small crack in the rock. The seed was soaked with the winter thaw and as the sun warmed the stone, the seed began to crack open.
“Oh, no!” the seed cried, “I am dying! Help me! Help! Please help!”
The Creator responded with a gentle whisper, “Patience my little one. It will be ok;” and nothing more was said.
The transformation was painful as the seed was disfigured and warped beyond anything like it had been within its protective shell. But a small miracle began to emerge as a tiny hair-like root began to attach itself within the crevice. A small green stem began to emerge on the opposite end.
“Oh, no!” the tiny seedling cried, “I can’t grow here! I want to be down with the other great trees.”
The Creator responded with a gentle whisper, “Patience my little one. It will be ok;” and nothing more was said.
Months turned into years as time seemed to fly by and the little seedling grew into a small tree. The tree seemed much different than the ones below for as time passed the wind, sleet, snow and hardness of the rock twisted the little tree into a dwarf of the others. It did not grow tall, but clung to the face of the stone in which it was anchored.
“Oh, no!” the little tree cried, “I am not like the others. I am so ugly! I am not good for anything!”
The Creator responded with a gentle whisper, “Patience my little one. It will be ok;” and nothing more was said.
Years passed and the tree grew very slowly, and the roots were well anchored now and filled the crevice of the rock. The trunk was thick and curled around the face of the rock and spread its small but stout branches along the face as well. The branches were thick with pine needles that covered the tree entirely from tip to root it seemed. It could handle the largest of snowfalls as it had waxed strong.
Yet, the tree seemed so unhappy and cried loudly, “Oh, no! I am so lonely and I have no friends and nothing to really do!”
The Creator responded with a gentle whisper, “Patience my little one. It will be ok;” and nothing more was said.
Years passed and the little pine tree no longer said anything. One bright summer day, a faint noise could be heard as a human seemed to be calling out to another. Before long their voices could be heard over the sound of the wind as they climbed up the face of the mountain. Suddenly, a scream ripped through the wind of the mountainside! Whump! The little tree was awakened by something that had fallen into his thick, soft bed of pine needles.
Whatever it was clung tightly to his branches and yelled, “I’m here! Over here! Whew! If it had not been for this tree, I would have easily fallen to my death. Thank you God!”…and the Creator simply responded with a whisper in the wind, “Well done my little one,” and nothing more was said…
ron hampton, 2004 – SDG
