Adapted from the 2008 edition of Born Again Yesterday, now booking for fall ‘08 and spring ‘09.

Life is like a tree.

Life is like a tree in the middle of a field, covered with fruit, excellent for nourishment of the body and soul.

Some approach the tree and go up into it, collecting fruit. Two groups of climbers find they have collected more than they can use.  One group hoards. The other shares. The hoarders fail to notice that the fruit they hoard rots, becoming of no use to anyone. The sharers use the extra to help those who cannot go so far up into the tree.

Some walk up to the tree and kneel before it. They say, “We praise you, tree, for your fruity goodness. We praise you for your mighty treeness, O tree, and, tree, we just want you to know that we know we don’t deserve your fruit, tree, but that we know that we are welcome in your woody, loving branches, tree. We thank you, tree, for your leafy generousity. Amen.” These then rise from thier knees and go up into the tree, collecting the same amount of fruit as those who did not kneel.

Some walk up to the tree and kneel. They pray as well. They remain on thier knees. When fruit from the tree falls upon them or near them, they give thanks to the tree. When fruit falls elsewhere they call it the will of the tree. They look upon those who go up into the tree as selfish, faithless and untrusting of the tree’s love and graciousness. “Wait upon the tree,” they say. “Trust in the heartwood and it will bless you with fruit in it’s time according to it’s arboreal will.”

It is the nature of a tree to bear fruit. Our nature is revealed in how we respond.