Beauty in Little Things
Content
Beauty In Little Things By Carl Stetter (c)2011 Illustrations by Carl Stetter and Katie Williamson
Dedicated to my parents, Curt and Sharon, my sisters Ericka and Gretchen, and of course Katelyn Williamson who without I would have never had the time to complete this book.
A Bit about the book and me (the author) I first started writing this book while in Elgin, Texas working on a little property called Motropolis. I had been staying there for a few months and was just about ready to get moving along when I decided to build an adobe oven before departing. While working this story played out in my mind like a movie. I knew it was something I needed to write down. It has been a couple of years, many struggles to understand exactly what this story means, but I am finally at a point where I feel I understand. I have come to the realization that this story is not one that I can try to make money off of, it is a story that needs to be told, shared, heard, appreciated. Because of this I am offering this story for free download. I will also be self publishing, hand binding books to distribute freely as time and funds permit. While this book is available for free download, I would like to take a moment to mention that if you truly enjoyed this story, if it touched you in some way, please consider making a donation. As we currently live in a capitalist society which requires money, not just labor in order to provide us with life’s necessities, any donation would be greatly appreciated. A bit about me and my dreams and aspirations. I am a farmer by nature. My ultimate dream is to own a self sustained farm in which I can make a stand and build a community based around equality, learning, teaching, and expanding our understandings of nature and growing. It would be my hope to be able to open this property up to all who might want to learn and experience a simpler, more rewarding life. If you would like to donate here is a website in which you can: https://sites.google.com/site/bruchafarms/ Thank you all so much. Much love and aloha. Carl
Sporting a new suit, John walked out his front door, locking it behind him.
He looked out and took a deep breath, “My world is beautiful,” he thought to himself. He then stepped out into the road and was gone. Mary and Richard never expected to have to bury their only son, but what parents ever do? They couldn’t stand the image of him motionless in a box so they had him cremated and took his ashes to a park they used to bring him to when he was a child. There was a specific tree where they spent most of their time and when they found it both of them wept quietly to themselves. The tree was rather old and remembered the couple. He was happy to see them again. There is little a tree can do but observe and appreciate the world around it. Something was different about the couple though, there was something missing. The tree could sense a thick sadness in the air. He then remembered a little boy who used to accompany the couple and spent his visits climbing on and hanging from his branches. The tree noticed the box and felt a presence he recognized, it was the little boy. He could feel the couple digging around his roots and knew they were burying their son. The tree felt for the couple and wished now more than ever he could move his limbs to comfort them, but alas a tree can do little but observe. Though, just maybe, there is one other thing he could do…. The couple hung around holding each other quietly under the tree for a while before walking off. Later that night it rained, just enough to saturate the soil and before long a tiny acorn appeared on the tree.
“Where am I?” The little acorn asked. “You are hanging from one of my highest branches,” the tree replied. “What am I doing up here? Is this heaven? If it is I would like to talk to someone about why I can’t move….Also who are you? Are you God? I am sorry for so many questions, but I am rather confused.” The acorn said while trying to move, but acorns don’t move. He had not yet quite grasped what the tree had told him. “Your parents planted you under my roots and so I turned you into an acorn.” “You mean to tell me you’re a tree and I am an acorn?” If an acorn could look confused this one would have! “Well if you want to be so informal about it, yes. Otherwise my name is Gerald, if you wanted to know, and who are you?” Gerald the tree asked. “John… So I really am an acorn. What do I do now?” John asked almost sarcastically. “Observe. It is what I have been doing for a hundred years.” “Don’t you get bored?” “Well what else can I do? I am a tree after all, I can’t just go for a walk now can I? Besides I have you for company now.” “What about other acorns?” “I can’t talk to them because they haven’t experienced a human consciousness yet. They are all still waiting for their chance. Some of them have been acorns for a while now, they fall off, are eaten by a squirrel perhaps, and then pooped back out and turned back into an acorn. Some of them can get turned into
squirrels after they are eaten or other small creatures, while others yet may take root and become a tree. It is all just a part of life.” Gerald explained. “So you are saying I may get eaten too?!” “In time, it’s possible.” “I don’t really want to be eaten.” “It’s not so bad, just think of it as a trip to your next destination in this crazy cycle.” Gerald tried to sound comforting. “Still, it does not sound pleasant.” Soon the acorn had asked all the questions he could and was a little less confused, and more just exhausted. It takes a good deal of energy for a little acorn to come up with so many questions and process so many new ideas. In time he grew accustomed to being an acorn and started to observe and appreciate the small things like Gerald had told him. He watched small children climb Gerald, laughed at the squirrels chasing each other, saw young people falling in love. He admired all of them and grew to love them all. One day two very familiar faces showed up, he could feel the somber thickness fill the air, They were there for a picnic it seemed. John knew he knew these people, he had seen them before. They were his parents! “Mom, Dad! It is so good to see you!” John yelled out as loud as an acorn could. Unfortunately that isn’t very loud at all and they could not hear him. “Mom! Look up!” He yelled again. “She cannot hear you John, you are but a small acorn up in a tree.” Gerald said. “We love you son and miss you so much. We know you are in a good place now but we want you to know we think about you often.” John’s mom said to no one in particular. Then she looked up and looked right at John.
“She looked at me! You see she looked at me! She can hear me. Mom! I am right here. I love you and miss you too!” John screamed the loudest any acorn has ever screamed, which is still not very loud. “She cannot hear you John, but she can feel you. She knows you are here, close by, but she cannot hear you or even comprehend that she is looking at you.” Gerald repeated. “It is not fair, she has to be able to hear me.” “Sometimes we must accept that just a feeling or presence is enough. You both know you are here and you both know you love each other. That is more than many people get.” “Son, we wanted to let you know your mother is pregnant again. We do not want you to think that we are replacing you. We will never forget you. We will still come by and visit as much as possible.” John’s Dad said, again to no one in particular. And they did visit regularly, often bringing news of the baby. “Now see, isn’t that wonderful news? A new life.” Gerald said trying to be as cheerful as possible. “Yes it is….but I miss them so much.” “In time that will go away, you must understand everything happens for a reason.” John accepted this but still longed to be held by his mother. He sat just watching them as they held each other. His mom then put a purple tulip on the trunk and his parents walked slowly away. John stared at the tulip for a long time and dreamed of holding it. He thought to himself he would never forget the way that flower looked. Later that night John was getting curious again. “I never asked, but why is it that I am able to talk to you?” John asked. “About a hundred years or more ago I was buried here. It wasn’t really a proper thing just a hole dug and my body dumped in. To my great luck a seed was buried with me and I grew into this tree. Gerald was my name before I died.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you die?” “Well, quite honestly, I don’t really know anymore. It is something I forgot long ago, you will do the same in time.” “What if I don’t want to forget?” John replied indignantly. “We all must move on John, it is just another part of life. We cannot change the past, nor can we hold onto it forever. In order to keep moving forward we must accept the changes and hardships of the past. None of which are really worth dwelling on. It is the future that we face everyday, the past is just a reminder. Hey, how did you die anyway?” “I was hit by a car.” John said. “And you want to remember that?” “Well no, but I want to remember my parents.” “One day, at some point in your future John, you will be born as a human again and have new parents. You may never forget that you had parents in a previous life, but in time you will forget their faces and their names. You feel the most memorable things, like the past love of your previous parents, or the need to look both ways when crossing the street, but you will not specifically remember them.” Gerald said. No more was said that day.
Time moved on, it seemed like an eternity for John, but that is just because he was a little acorn in a big tree. Time moves slowly when all you have to do is appreciate the world. Days blend together, sunsets beget sunrises and before you know it you have no idea which is which. It is tough just being a small acorn, but John loved the company of Gerald. He was wise and calm, never raising his voice or damning anyone or anything. Even when two young lovers would scratch their names in his trunk, he would just sigh happily almost longingly. Before John knew it, it was time for him to fall off the tree. “All right John, it’s time.” Gerald said, with a touch of sadness. “What do you mean?” “It is time for you to fall from my branch and see what life brings you.” “You mean, to be eaten.” “More than likely, or you might become a tree.” “Oh,” John thought about this and decided being eaten would probably be better than being a tree for him. Then just like clockwork, John popped off the tree and fell to the ground. It was a light landing and John kind of liked the new perspective. It gave him a chance to really see Gerald in all his glory. He was a big tree, and he actually looked familiar. “Hey, I know you, I used to climb you as a kid!” Exclaimed John. “That’s right, I remembered your parents when they brought you here.” “Why didn’t you tell me?” “I didn’t think it mattered,” replied Gerald. “I guess it doesn’t, but it is a pleasant surprise to see you.” Before long a squirrel happened by, sniffing around for acorns. John tried to make himself look as appealing as possible, it worked! The squirrel scooped John up and stuffed him into her mouth. He found himself in a dark place and he
couldn’t see anything. Gerald didn’t say anything about this. John did not like this part at all. He was packed in tight with other acorns, none of which had anything to say. Over time it got less and less crowded, then it was John’s turn. He felt the little paws grab him, then, nothing. The next thing John experienced was opening his eyes and seeing a big furry creature whom he had the uncontrollable desire to call “Mom.” John was now a perfectly healthy baby squirrel born to a young spunky squirrel named Squizzle. There was no name like John in the squirrel language so his mother named him Pip, but he preferred John. John found being a squirrel was pretty fun. At first his mom wouldn’t let him do very much, making sure he didn’t get himself into trouble, but soon he was able to run and play with the rest of the squirrels. When he finally left his tree house for the first time he noticed it looked very familiar. It was Gerald! “Gerald look I am a squirrel now!” John exclaimed cheerfully. “Well look at that, how does it feel?” “Great! I can run and jump and climb! It is like being a kid again.” “I envy you, how I long to walk around,” said Gerald. John felt he probably shouldn’t gloat anymore about his new found abilities to move about. He was just happy to still be close to Gerald. John went on being a squirrel and didn’t always stick around Gerald; often the urge to run and chase other squirrels was too great. Gerald told him this is what he should be doing. He had spent a good deal of time on Gerald’s branch observing, it was time for him to let loose and play. Play he did, he felt like he had super powers, like he was the greatest squirrel that ever lived. He had never before been able to climb so effortlessly. Of course he had never before been a squirrel. Despite all his natural urges, John still spent a good amount of time sitting on his limb talking with Gerald. John rarely missed the sunset and this is when
they did their most and least talking. Sometimes the sunset does all the talking for you and sometimes it asks you to talk for it. One of those nights the sunset decided to remain silent, John got up the courage to finally ask something he had always wanted to ask Gerald. “Gerald, do you ever get tired of being a tree?” John asked timidly. “Well yes, I suppose so, but there really isn’t much I could do about it is there?” Gerald had thought many years about this, and wasn’t really surprised by the question. “Well I don’t know, couldn’t you decide to stop soaking up water or drop all of your leaves?” John’s question was innocent. “I suppose I could, however everything happens to us for a reason. Every where we are, we are where we are supposed to be.” “Huh? I don’t get it, what do you mean?” This baffled John. “Everything that you experience in your existence has happened to you because it was supposed to. There is something you have to learn from that experience, whether it is good or bad, there is always a lesson in there. So if I am supposed to be a tree, then I am supposed to be a tree. I haven’t been cut down yet, I haven’t gotten some fungus or gone through a serious drought. You do not always get to choose what you are, but you can choose who you are. Besides there are very few situations where ending your current existence prematurely turns out well. Most times one does it because they are so preoccupied with themselves they cannot see the world around them. When this happens the spirit gets stuck, it is too preoccupied in itself to move to its next destination. If you do not take the time to notice the little things you will never take the time to notice you are dead and so they go about their daily lives like nothing ever happened. Completely unaware anything is different. This is where ghosts come from. You will experience them occasionally.”
“So you are saying, me getting hit by a car was supposed to happen?” “Well, you didn’t purposely step in front of the car, did you?” “Absolutely not!” John said emphatically. “Then, yes, this was supposed to happen to you.” “Why then?” “I cannot answer that, that is for you to figure out.” Gerald answered. “How will I know the answer?” “That again is something I cannot tell you, but somehow you will know.” John wasn’t fully satisfied with this answer, but clearly he wasn’t going to get anything more out of Gerald on the subject. Besides which John caught the glimpse of an owl out of the corner of his eye and had to dash off into his hole. The next morning John was playing in the branches when he felt something familiar. He ran down the tree and found a couple and a little boy sitting on a blanket. John felt he knew these people from somewhere. He got a closer look. The couple had calm faces. They gazed at the tree longingly and then watched the little boy explore. John couldn’t explain it but he felt the urge to tease and play with the boy. He ran up within a couple of feet of the boy and stood on his hind legs. The boy giggled. He inched a bit closer and again stood up on his hind legs. The boy began to roll with laughter, a good hearty belly laugh. This made John feel really good! He felt a connection to the boy and he spent most of the day letting the boy chase him around. He would climb a tree and the boy would try to follow. It was silly to watch the boy try to climb the tree. He couldn’t help but admire the boy’s determination though. A couple of times he even came close to grabbing John’s tail. Soon the sun was getting heavy in the sky and it was time for the family to go. “Come on Kevin, it is time to go.” The boy’s mom said. “But what about John mommy?” Kevin asked innocently.
“Who? John who?” she said surprised. “The squirrel, his name is John. He is my friend I don’t want to leave him here.” Kevin almost cried. “The squirrel…” She said looking up at the tree and trying to hold back her own tears. “This is where he lives honey, for him he is already home.” She said and took Kevin’s hand and started to walk away. Before she got too far she turned around and looked at the tree one last time and there on a low branch was a squirrel looking back at her. She couldn’t help it, the tears started coming down her cheek. She knew she was just being crazy, but it was too much. “Why are you crying mommy?” “I will tell you someday, but lets catch up to Dad and go get some ice cream.” John sat on the tree, he knew that he knew these people before, but he could not remember from where exactly. Their faces were so familiar. He told Gerald about it later that sunset. “Those were your parents John.” possible. “My your do not parents?” “From one of previous lives, you Gerald said as gently as
remember?”
John thought about it for a bit and then began to remember. It was a hard memory to conjure up, and before John knew it he was crying. “Oh now, I am sorry. I didn’t want to make you cry.” Gerald comforted John. “No it is alright, this is something I haven’t done in some time. I didn’t think I could.” “You have learned a lot John. Please promise me one thing,” Gerald more demanded than asked. “Anything Gerald.” “Promise you will never forget to appreciate the small things.” “Small things? You mean like bugs?” “Not just bugs, the simple little things that we so often take for granted. Like the ability to cry, to feel so much emotion that you are overwhelmed and actually start to leak, or the beauty in a child’s laughter, or the grace of a sunset. These are the little things many of us forget about. But these little things can make us happier than anything twice their size and importance.” “Okay, I promise.” Things went on and every so often the couple with the little boy would come back. John always looked forward to their visits. Though he did not always play with the little boy, at times he just sat and admired the family. He appreciated every moment he got to spend with them. Over time John got older, his time as a squirrel was coming close to an end. One day while relaxing on his branch in Gerald started thinking again. “Gerald, how did you make me into an acorn?” He asked. “I took your energy, combined it with my intent, and I turned it into an acorn. I was surprised it worked, to be truthful.” “Yes but how? How did I become a squirrel?”
“I am not exactly sure how it works, honestly, I wasn’t sure I could actually turn you into an acorn, but I felt is was worth trying. The way I have come to understand it, as I see my little acorns turn into many different things, your spirit is your energy. When you move on from one existence your spirit or energy is transferred into something else. Your spirit can be stretched thousands of miles apart and be in multiple entities at one time, but it is always connected.” “But that could be stretched so thin that wouldn’t we all be connected?” “Yes and we are, do you remember how you told me you felt your parent’s presence? That is because you are connected to them. The same way you can tell when someone or thing intends to do harm to you. You can feel their energy because they are connected to you.” “So wouldn’t that make us all related?” “In the same sense that the sky is related to the ground, yes. We are all always connected, there is never a break in between us. John thought about this for a moment. “So why is it that I remember my past lives?” “I do not know, it may have something to do with the fact that you have experienced a human consciousness, or it may just be that you are a unique case. Whatever the reason is, I am glad that you have remembered. It has been wonderful having your company these past years. I was beginning to think I would never have anyone to talk to.” “I am glad too.” John was satisfied. With that the two just sat in silence and watched the sunset peacefully. A couple of weeks later John was out collecting nuts. He was quite old now for a squirrel and moved much slower than the younger squirrels. He usually spent most of his days just lounging in the tree and talking with Gerald. However today was a day closer to winter and John knew he needed to take some time to collect
nuts for the winter. He had collected quite a few but was not quite ready to go in, not just yet. He knew he probably had enough acorns for the winter and it was getting dark, but something told him to go out once more. He scampered through the grass and up on a log, he looked out at the park. There were people fishing, ducks swimming and quacking around, birds flying over head. “My world is beautiful,” he thought. Then, John, was abruptly snatched up by an owl that had just woken from her nap, early. When John awoke he was in a very tight space. He went to stretch and …. crack! Suddenly, the world came pouring in. John pushed his way out of his shell and found himself in a soft comfy bed made of sticks, feathers and fur. He looked up and saw a grand figure standing before him. He again had the sudden urge to call this figure “Mom.” John was now starting his life as an owl. He stood up as high as he could and peaked out over the brim of the nest. He was high up in a tree in the middle of a great forest. He had hoped that he would peek over and see Gerald was his home again, but not this time. This made him sad but he remembered what Gerald had told him, that you are always where you are supposed to be and that made him feel better. Gerald was very wise, thought John. Life as an owl was slow at first. He wasn’t able to leave the nest, so he spent most of his days just observing and eating. John at first had a very hard time eating what his mother brought him, having been a squirrel it took him a great deal of thought to get over eating squirrel. Though he knew this was just all a part of the life cycle and in time it didn’t bother him at all and he waited in anticipation for his mother to bring home food. By far his favorite past time was watching his mother fly. She was very majestic and graceful, swooping in and out of the thermals and gliding through the air. He couldn’t wait to be able to fly and gain the freedom it provided.
He also found that at night he could see better than he ever could see during the day as a human. This was great for staring out in the night and watching the forest creep along. The forrest was full of life at night and John found it to be quite entertaining. He never wasted a moment to appreciate his life. When it was finally time for him to learn to fly he was ready. He had been waiting for this day. He walked up to the side of the nest and looked out, it was much higher than he remembered. He took a deep breath “Alright I can do this” he thought, “on three,” he took another deep breath “one,..wahhhk!” His mother pushed him out and he soon found himself falling at an incredible rate. He spread his wings almost naturally and right before disaster, John caught the wind and pulled up and into the sky! He flapped a couple of times and then let the wind rush over his face. “What a feeling!” John screeched. He didn’t want to stop. He would glide as far as he could then flap a few more times lifting himself higher into the air. It was the most wonderful experience John could ever remember feeling. Drifting and floating through the air he felt like going forever, but his mother would worry, he was still not entirely ready to leave her yet. You see when you start life as a new creature you must relearn everything, much like an infant. For example you are born a squirrel, you do not know how to be a squirrel entirely at first. There are certain rules of being a squirrel you must learn. So for John, while he had learned to fly, he still had no idea about hunting, or the sorts of dangers he faced. Over the next few months his mother taught him many things. How to fish, how to spot and grab easy pray, what to look out for when flying. One thing she insisted he remember was, “Never eat food off the long black ground.” John was not entirely sure what she meant by this but he promised her he would be careful.
In time he learned everything from his mother he could and soon he was ready to set off on his own. He could not wait to finally take off on his own. The moment he left he immediately felt free. He flew as far as he could fly that day. All he wanted to do was fly and see all he could. John had never traveled much before and he was ready to explore the world around him. He would spend days just flying everywhere his wings would take him. He again remembered what Gerald said about appreciating the little thing and when he found a place he liked he would stop and spend most of his time exploring it as much as possible. He flew from one ocean to the next, stopping wherever he pleased. He admired every place he went to. High mountains of magnificent colors that nearly broke the sky, crystal clear lakes that looked like glass in the early mornings, trees that were taller than the clouds. “This is heaven,” he thought to himself. “A world created for us with so much beauty and so much opportunity, it just must be.” His life was magnificent. Many times while traveling he would forget to eat, getting too caught up in all he was seeing to think about food. One day on his sixth or seventh trip across the country, he found himself very hungry. He started looking for food and saw a really easy meal. He was so hungry he couldn’t resist even though it was on the long black ground that his mother had warned him about. He swooped down to grab his food. At that moment he was blinded by a bright light, stunned, he couldn’t move. The next time he woke up he could no longer fly, in fact he was back to not moving at all, at least by his own power. He was a blade of grass, growing slowly up towards the sky. John was sad to not be able to fly anymore, but he remembered that it is just a part of the cycle of life. He found pleasure in the
relaxing life of being grass, soaking up nutrients from the ground and sunlight, blowing in the wind. It was a much easier life and not nearly as hectic. However, he was not destined to be grass long, one day he found himself in a large shadow. He could hear the sounds of chewing and feel large steps shaking the ground. “What is happening?’ John thought. Everything went dark again. Again he saw daylight and now he was a cow. Life as a cow wasn’t much harder than life as grass. Everything was provided for you. He spent his early days close to his mother playing and eating. Running around with the other young calfs. As he grew older he noticed cows he knew started to disappear. He became curious of what happened to them. He started asking his mother what was going on. “They are being taken to be killed,” she said with a slight melancholy. “To be killed!?” John replied shocked. “How can you let this happen!?” “It is part of our lives, we grow and when we get big enough we are killed and we become food.” John could not believe his ears. He was terrified. He spent the next few days a little ways away from the rest of the herd. He didn’t want to see who wouldn’t be there that day nor did he want to risk maybe being taken himself. He spent his day thinking about what his mother told him. He decided he didn’t want to die and be eaten and he would make a break for it the first moment he could. Live out his life in the wild, that sounded good.
His first attempt was a complete failure, he knew the truck would come in every morning with the farmer to check on the cows. He decided to just run through the gate when he got the chance. Unfortunately the ground was broken up right at the gate and he couldn’t figure out his footing. He had to abandon this attempt. His next one was slightly better, he just started walking, he seemed to be walking forever and he thought that he might just be free! But then a fence suddenly appeared stretching above the ground as far as his eyes could see dashed his hopes. He started walking along the fence and before he knew it he was right back with the herd, he had walked in a big circle. He didn’t know what else he could do. That night there was a big storm that knocked down a tree on the far end of the field. John saw that the fence in that area had been knocked over and he could walk through. This was his chance he realized. He could finally be free from this place. He started walking through; a couple of other cows had the same idea and were already outside the fence. Most of the cows however stayed. He looked back at the remaining cows, “Why aren’t they running away?” At that moment he remembered when he was just an acorn on Gerald’s branch. John had been afraid to be eaten as an acorn, but in the end it wasn’t so bad. It was just another part of his illustrious life, the next step in the cycle. He found himself unable to move any further. He so badly wanted to escape and be free. At the same time he remembered Gerald never decided to stop being a tree, because that was his current life, which he was supposed to live.
He turned around and started back into the field. “If I am supposed to be a cow, then I am supposed to be a cow.” He rejoined the herd. It wasn’t long until it was his turn to board the truck. He couldn’t help but be frightened, still he mustered up all his courage and walked with his head up and onto the truck. They took him to a big facility. He was pushed through this line and soon was facing death. He never once wavered as he walked towards his fate, his head still held high. Quickly it was in a seemed, he very familiar
shape. He as he could again. He was so excited! He looked at his mother and his father when he finally opened his eyes. John felt a familiarity with his father, beyond the normal feelings but he could not understand it. “What should we name him Kevin?” His mother asked his father. “John, after the brother I never got to know.” stretched as far and he felt… fingers! He
made fists and then he noticed toes too! “Oh my, is it true?” John was human
Had John been able to remember more at that time, he might have noticed this moment. However he was starting a new life yet again. Learning everything for the first time, yet again, but this time they did come easier. He was seen as a very intelligent baby. When he was three years old he started to remember little things about his past lives but they didn’t make much sense. He remembered watching sunsets in a tree. Flying over rivers, the look of the sky during a thunderstorm from a blade of grass’s point of view. These were all wonderful thoughts, especially for a small child, but they did not mean anything to most people. He had never gotten the chance to meet his grandfather who had passed away before John was born. His grandmother was still alive but was very old. One weekend he was told he was going to visit his grandmother. She was coming to the end of her life and was lying in her bed when John and his family arrived. John walked timidly into the room. He had met his grandmother before, but he was too young to remember those moments. He walked into her room and looked into his grandmothers eyes, suddenly a memory shot through his mind. He knew those eyes, he knew this woman, beyond just being his grandmother. All the memories of Gerald and being an acorn, and being a squirrel, owl, grass, and a cow came rushing back to him. He looked again into his grandmother’s eyes, he then realized, she was his mom before he was an acorn! A sudden joy rushed over him at his grandmother’s bedside. “Mom, it’s me, John! It’s me!” John’s mother looked at him somewhat shocked. Then she looked into his eyes and saw through them and knew. It was her John. Her face lit up and smiled, and with that she closed her eyes and fell into a never-ending sleep.
Young John knew that she had passed and immediately his heart dropped. How could this happen now? Though he knew that there was nothing he could do, he had to be happy with just that moment. His grandmother was cremated and the family took her to the same tree under which she had buried her John and they had buried John’s father. When young John walked up to the tree, the tree immediately recognized John but wondered if he remembered him too? They buried John’s grandmother and John placed a single purple tulip over the spot. He then started climbing Gerald. At three he was tall for his age and climbing seemed to come natural to him. Gerald was so happy to be so close to his friend again, if only he could express it. Then John climbed all the way to his old branch. “How curious,” Gerald thought. “Maybe he does remember?” Then John bent down gripping the branch in his arms, “Hello Gerald.” John sat there until the sun started to set, his parents sitting at Gerald’s base, called him down. Gerald couldn’t believe it, he remembered him, his soul was so touched that as John walked beneath him some of his leaves fell softly to the ground. The End
In our society today, we have built an irrational fear of death and loss. We are afraid of change, and afraid of being hurt. All of these fears are constructed in our minds and hold us captive from being ourselves and truly living our lives. If there is anything I hope you take from this story it is that death and change is
nothing to be afraid of, it is a beautiful part of life and we must accept both to be free. Love every moment like it is your last and learn from everything that happens to you, good or bad. Aloha. One last time, if you enjoyed the story please pass it along. Share it with all who would benefit from it. It is free for you to distribute as you please. I just ask that if maybe this story has touched you enough you consider giving a donation to help me reach my goal of being a farmer. With love and aloha, always, Carl. https://sites.google.com/site/bruchafarms/
Dedicated to my parents, Curt and Sharon, my sisters Ericka and Gretchen, and of course Katelyn Williamson who without I would have never had the time to complete this book.
A Bit about the book and me (the author) I first started writing this book while in Elgin, Texas working on a little property called Motropolis. I had been staying there for a few months and was just about ready to get moving along when I decided to build an adobe oven before departing. While working this story played out in my mind like a movie. I knew it was something I needed to write down. It has been a couple of years, many struggles to understand exactly what this story means, but I am finally at a point where I feel I understand. I have come to the realization that this story is not one that I can try to make money off of, it is a story that needs to be told, shared, heard, appreciated. Because of this I am offering this story for free download. I will also be self publishing, hand binding books to distribute freely as time and funds permit. While this book is available for free download, I would like to take a moment to mention that if you truly enjoyed this story, if it touched you in some way, please consider making a donation. As we currently live in a capitalist society which requires money, not just labor in order to provide us with life’s necessities, any donation would be greatly appreciated. A bit about me and my dreams and aspirations. I am a farmer by nature. My ultimate dream is to own a self sustained farm in which I can make a stand and build a community based around equality, learning, teaching, and expanding our understandings of nature and growing. It would be my hope to be able to open this property up to all who might want to learn and experience a simpler, more rewarding life. If you would like to donate here is a website in which you can: https://sites.google.com/site/bruchafarms/ Thank you all so much. Much love and aloha. Carl
Sporting a new suit, John walked out his front door, locking it behind him.
He looked out and took a deep breath, “My world is beautiful,” he thought to himself. He then stepped out into the road and was gone. Mary and Richard never expected to have to bury their only son, but what parents ever do? They couldn’t stand the image of him motionless in a box so they had him cremated and took his ashes to a park they used to bring him to when he was a child. There was a specific tree where they spent most of their time and when they found it both of them wept quietly to themselves. The tree was rather old and remembered the couple. He was happy to see them again. There is little a tree can do but observe and appreciate the world around it. Something was different about the couple though, there was something missing. The tree could sense a thick sadness in the air. He then remembered a little boy who used to accompany the couple and spent his visits climbing on and hanging from his branches. The tree noticed the box and felt a presence he recognized, it was the little boy. He could feel the couple digging around his roots and knew they were burying their son. The tree felt for the couple and wished now more than ever he could move his limbs to comfort them, but alas a tree can do little but observe. Though, just maybe, there is one other thing he could do…. The couple hung around holding each other quietly under the tree for a while before walking off. Later that night it rained, just enough to saturate the soil and before long a tiny acorn appeared on the tree.
“Where am I?” The little acorn asked. “You are hanging from one of my highest branches,” the tree replied. “What am I doing up here? Is this heaven? If it is I would like to talk to someone about why I can’t move….Also who are you? Are you God? I am sorry for so many questions, but I am rather confused.” The acorn said while trying to move, but acorns don’t move. He had not yet quite grasped what the tree had told him. “Your parents planted you under my roots and so I turned you into an acorn.” “You mean to tell me you’re a tree and I am an acorn?” If an acorn could look confused this one would have! “Well if you want to be so informal about it, yes. Otherwise my name is Gerald, if you wanted to know, and who are you?” Gerald the tree asked. “John… So I really am an acorn. What do I do now?” John asked almost sarcastically. “Observe. It is what I have been doing for a hundred years.” “Don’t you get bored?” “Well what else can I do? I am a tree after all, I can’t just go for a walk now can I? Besides I have you for company now.” “What about other acorns?” “I can’t talk to them because they haven’t experienced a human consciousness yet. They are all still waiting for their chance. Some of them have been acorns for a while now, they fall off, are eaten by a squirrel perhaps, and then pooped back out and turned back into an acorn. Some of them can get turned into
squirrels after they are eaten or other small creatures, while others yet may take root and become a tree. It is all just a part of life.” Gerald explained. “So you are saying I may get eaten too?!” “In time, it’s possible.” “I don’t really want to be eaten.” “It’s not so bad, just think of it as a trip to your next destination in this crazy cycle.” Gerald tried to sound comforting. “Still, it does not sound pleasant.” Soon the acorn had asked all the questions he could and was a little less confused, and more just exhausted. It takes a good deal of energy for a little acorn to come up with so many questions and process so many new ideas. In time he grew accustomed to being an acorn and started to observe and appreciate the small things like Gerald had told him. He watched small children climb Gerald, laughed at the squirrels chasing each other, saw young people falling in love. He admired all of them and grew to love them all. One day two very familiar faces showed up, he could feel the somber thickness fill the air, They were there for a picnic it seemed. John knew he knew these people, he had seen them before. They were his parents! “Mom, Dad! It is so good to see you!” John yelled out as loud as an acorn could. Unfortunately that isn’t very loud at all and they could not hear him. “Mom! Look up!” He yelled again. “She cannot hear you John, you are but a small acorn up in a tree.” Gerald said. “We love you son and miss you so much. We know you are in a good place now but we want you to know we think about you often.” John’s mom said to no one in particular. Then she looked up and looked right at John.
“She looked at me! You see she looked at me! She can hear me. Mom! I am right here. I love you and miss you too!” John screamed the loudest any acorn has ever screamed, which is still not very loud. “She cannot hear you John, but she can feel you. She knows you are here, close by, but she cannot hear you or even comprehend that she is looking at you.” Gerald repeated. “It is not fair, she has to be able to hear me.” “Sometimes we must accept that just a feeling or presence is enough. You both know you are here and you both know you love each other. That is more than many people get.” “Son, we wanted to let you know your mother is pregnant again. We do not want you to think that we are replacing you. We will never forget you. We will still come by and visit as much as possible.” John’s Dad said, again to no one in particular. And they did visit regularly, often bringing news of the baby. “Now see, isn’t that wonderful news? A new life.” Gerald said trying to be as cheerful as possible. “Yes it is….but I miss them so much.” “In time that will go away, you must understand everything happens for a reason.” John accepted this but still longed to be held by his mother. He sat just watching them as they held each other. His mom then put a purple tulip on the trunk and his parents walked slowly away. John stared at the tulip for a long time and dreamed of holding it. He thought to himself he would never forget the way that flower looked. Later that night John was getting curious again. “I never asked, but why is it that I am able to talk to you?” John asked. “About a hundred years or more ago I was buried here. It wasn’t really a proper thing just a hole dug and my body dumped in. To my great luck a seed was buried with me and I grew into this tree. Gerald was my name before I died.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you die?” “Well, quite honestly, I don’t really know anymore. It is something I forgot long ago, you will do the same in time.” “What if I don’t want to forget?” John replied indignantly. “We all must move on John, it is just another part of life. We cannot change the past, nor can we hold onto it forever. In order to keep moving forward we must accept the changes and hardships of the past. None of which are really worth dwelling on. It is the future that we face everyday, the past is just a reminder. Hey, how did you die anyway?” “I was hit by a car.” John said. “And you want to remember that?” “Well no, but I want to remember my parents.” “One day, at some point in your future John, you will be born as a human again and have new parents. You may never forget that you had parents in a previous life, but in time you will forget their faces and their names. You feel the most memorable things, like the past love of your previous parents, or the need to look both ways when crossing the street, but you will not specifically remember them.” Gerald said. No more was said that day.
Time moved on, it seemed like an eternity for John, but that is just because he was a little acorn in a big tree. Time moves slowly when all you have to do is appreciate the world. Days blend together, sunsets beget sunrises and before you know it you have no idea which is which. It is tough just being a small acorn, but John loved the company of Gerald. He was wise and calm, never raising his voice or damning anyone or anything. Even when two young lovers would scratch their names in his trunk, he would just sigh happily almost longingly. Before John knew it, it was time for him to fall off the tree. “All right John, it’s time.” Gerald said, with a touch of sadness. “What do you mean?” “It is time for you to fall from my branch and see what life brings you.” “You mean, to be eaten.” “More than likely, or you might become a tree.” “Oh,” John thought about this and decided being eaten would probably be better than being a tree for him. Then just like clockwork, John popped off the tree and fell to the ground. It was a light landing and John kind of liked the new perspective. It gave him a chance to really see Gerald in all his glory. He was a big tree, and he actually looked familiar. “Hey, I know you, I used to climb you as a kid!” Exclaimed John. “That’s right, I remembered your parents when they brought you here.” “Why didn’t you tell me?” “I didn’t think it mattered,” replied Gerald. “I guess it doesn’t, but it is a pleasant surprise to see you.” Before long a squirrel happened by, sniffing around for acorns. John tried to make himself look as appealing as possible, it worked! The squirrel scooped John up and stuffed him into her mouth. He found himself in a dark place and he
couldn’t see anything. Gerald didn’t say anything about this. John did not like this part at all. He was packed in tight with other acorns, none of which had anything to say. Over time it got less and less crowded, then it was John’s turn. He felt the little paws grab him, then, nothing. The next thing John experienced was opening his eyes and seeing a big furry creature whom he had the uncontrollable desire to call “Mom.” John was now a perfectly healthy baby squirrel born to a young spunky squirrel named Squizzle. There was no name like John in the squirrel language so his mother named him Pip, but he preferred John. John found being a squirrel was pretty fun. At first his mom wouldn’t let him do very much, making sure he didn’t get himself into trouble, but soon he was able to run and play with the rest of the squirrels. When he finally left his tree house for the first time he noticed it looked very familiar. It was Gerald! “Gerald look I am a squirrel now!” John exclaimed cheerfully. “Well look at that, how does it feel?” “Great! I can run and jump and climb! It is like being a kid again.” “I envy you, how I long to walk around,” said Gerald. John felt he probably shouldn’t gloat anymore about his new found abilities to move about. He was just happy to still be close to Gerald. John went on being a squirrel and didn’t always stick around Gerald; often the urge to run and chase other squirrels was too great. Gerald told him this is what he should be doing. He had spent a good deal of time on Gerald’s branch observing, it was time for him to let loose and play. Play he did, he felt like he had super powers, like he was the greatest squirrel that ever lived. He had never before been able to climb so effortlessly. Of course he had never before been a squirrel. Despite all his natural urges, John still spent a good amount of time sitting on his limb talking with Gerald. John rarely missed the sunset and this is when
they did their most and least talking. Sometimes the sunset does all the talking for you and sometimes it asks you to talk for it. One of those nights the sunset decided to remain silent, John got up the courage to finally ask something he had always wanted to ask Gerald. “Gerald, do you ever get tired of being a tree?” John asked timidly. “Well yes, I suppose so, but there really isn’t much I could do about it is there?” Gerald had thought many years about this, and wasn’t really surprised by the question. “Well I don’t know, couldn’t you decide to stop soaking up water or drop all of your leaves?” John’s question was innocent. “I suppose I could, however everything happens to us for a reason. Every where we are, we are where we are supposed to be.” “Huh? I don’t get it, what do you mean?” This baffled John. “Everything that you experience in your existence has happened to you because it was supposed to. There is something you have to learn from that experience, whether it is good or bad, there is always a lesson in there. So if I am supposed to be a tree, then I am supposed to be a tree. I haven’t been cut down yet, I haven’t gotten some fungus or gone through a serious drought. You do not always get to choose what you are, but you can choose who you are. Besides there are very few situations where ending your current existence prematurely turns out well. Most times one does it because they are so preoccupied with themselves they cannot see the world around them. When this happens the spirit gets stuck, it is too preoccupied in itself to move to its next destination. If you do not take the time to notice the little things you will never take the time to notice you are dead and so they go about their daily lives like nothing ever happened. Completely unaware anything is different. This is where ghosts come from. You will experience them occasionally.”
“So you are saying, me getting hit by a car was supposed to happen?” “Well, you didn’t purposely step in front of the car, did you?” “Absolutely not!” John said emphatically. “Then, yes, this was supposed to happen to you.” “Why then?” “I cannot answer that, that is for you to figure out.” Gerald answered. “How will I know the answer?” “That again is something I cannot tell you, but somehow you will know.” John wasn’t fully satisfied with this answer, but clearly he wasn’t going to get anything more out of Gerald on the subject. Besides which John caught the glimpse of an owl out of the corner of his eye and had to dash off into his hole. The next morning John was playing in the branches when he felt something familiar. He ran down the tree and found a couple and a little boy sitting on a blanket. John felt he knew these people from somewhere. He got a closer look. The couple had calm faces. They gazed at the tree longingly and then watched the little boy explore. John couldn’t explain it but he felt the urge to tease and play with the boy. He ran up within a couple of feet of the boy and stood on his hind legs. The boy giggled. He inched a bit closer and again stood up on his hind legs. The boy began to roll with laughter, a good hearty belly laugh. This made John feel really good! He felt a connection to the boy and he spent most of the day letting the boy chase him around. He would climb a tree and the boy would try to follow. It was silly to watch the boy try to climb the tree. He couldn’t help but admire the boy’s determination though. A couple of times he even came close to grabbing John’s tail. Soon the sun was getting heavy in the sky and it was time for the family to go. “Come on Kevin, it is time to go.” The boy’s mom said. “But what about John mommy?” Kevin asked innocently.
“Who? John who?” she said surprised. “The squirrel, his name is John. He is my friend I don’t want to leave him here.” Kevin almost cried. “The squirrel…” She said looking up at the tree and trying to hold back her own tears. “This is where he lives honey, for him he is already home.” She said and took Kevin’s hand and started to walk away. Before she got too far she turned around and looked at the tree one last time and there on a low branch was a squirrel looking back at her. She couldn’t help it, the tears started coming down her cheek. She knew she was just being crazy, but it was too much. “Why are you crying mommy?” “I will tell you someday, but lets catch up to Dad and go get some ice cream.” John sat on the tree, he knew that he knew these people before, but he could not remember from where exactly. Their faces were so familiar. He told Gerald about it later that sunset. “Those were your parents John.” possible. “My your do not parents?” “From one of previous lives, you Gerald said as gently as
remember?”
John thought about it for a bit and then began to remember. It was a hard memory to conjure up, and before John knew it he was crying. “Oh now, I am sorry. I didn’t want to make you cry.” Gerald comforted John. “No it is alright, this is something I haven’t done in some time. I didn’t think I could.” “You have learned a lot John. Please promise me one thing,” Gerald more demanded than asked. “Anything Gerald.” “Promise you will never forget to appreciate the small things.” “Small things? You mean like bugs?” “Not just bugs, the simple little things that we so often take for granted. Like the ability to cry, to feel so much emotion that you are overwhelmed and actually start to leak, or the beauty in a child’s laughter, or the grace of a sunset. These are the little things many of us forget about. But these little things can make us happier than anything twice their size and importance.” “Okay, I promise.” Things went on and every so often the couple with the little boy would come back. John always looked forward to their visits. Though he did not always play with the little boy, at times he just sat and admired the family. He appreciated every moment he got to spend with them. Over time John got older, his time as a squirrel was coming close to an end. One day while relaxing on his branch in Gerald started thinking again. “Gerald, how did you make me into an acorn?” He asked. “I took your energy, combined it with my intent, and I turned it into an acorn. I was surprised it worked, to be truthful.” “Yes but how? How did I become a squirrel?”
“I am not exactly sure how it works, honestly, I wasn’t sure I could actually turn you into an acorn, but I felt is was worth trying. The way I have come to understand it, as I see my little acorns turn into many different things, your spirit is your energy. When you move on from one existence your spirit or energy is transferred into something else. Your spirit can be stretched thousands of miles apart and be in multiple entities at one time, but it is always connected.” “But that could be stretched so thin that wouldn’t we all be connected?” “Yes and we are, do you remember how you told me you felt your parent’s presence? That is because you are connected to them. The same way you can tell when someone or thing intends to do harm to you. You can feel their energy because they are connected to you.” “So wouldn’t that make us all related?” “In the same sense that the sky is related to the ground, yes. We are all always connected, there is never a break in between us. John thought about this for a moment. “So why is it that I remember my past lives?” “I do not know, it may have something to do with the fact that you have experienced a human consciousness, or it may just be that you are a unique case. Whatever the reason is, I am glad that you have remembered. It has been wonderful having your company these past years. I was beginning to think I would never have anyone to talk to.” “I am glad too.” John was satisfied. With that the two just sat in silence and watched the sunset peacefully. A couple of weeks later John was out collecting nuts. He was quite old now for a squirrel and moved much slower than the younger squirrels. He usually spent most of his days just lounging in the tree and talking with Gerald. However today was a day closer to winter and John knew he needed to take some time to collect
nuts for the winter. He had collected quite a few but was not quite ready to go in, not just yet. He knew he probably had enough acorns for the winter and it was getting dark, but something told him to go out once more. He scampered through the grass and up on a log, he looked out at the park. There were people fishing, ducks swimming and quacking around, birds flying over head. “My world is beautiful,” he thought. Then, John, was abruptly snatched up by an owl that had just woken from her nap, early. When John awoke he was in a very tight space. He went to stretch and …. crack! Suddenly, the world came pouring in. John pushed his way out of his shell and found himself in a soft comfy bed made of sticks, feathers and fur. He looked up and saw a grand figure standing before him. He again had the sudden urge to call this figure “Mom.” John was now starting his life as an owl. He stood up as high as he could and peaked out over the brim of the nest. He was high up in a tree in the middle of a great forest. He had hoped that he would peek over and see Gerald was his home again, but not this time. This made him sad but he remembered what Gerald had told him, that you are always where you are supposed to be and that made him feel better. Gerald was very wise, thought John. Life as an owl was slow at first. He wasn’t able to leave the nest, so he spent most of his days just observing and eating. John at first had a very hard time eating what his mother brought him, having been a squirrel it took him a great deal of thought to get over eating squirrel. Though he knew this was just all a part of the life cycle and in time it didn’t bother him at all and he waited in anticipation for his mother to bring home food. By far his favorite past time was watching his mother fly. She was very majestic and graceful, swooping in and out of the thermals and gliding through the air. He couldn’t wait to be able to fly and gain the freedom it provided.
He also found that at night he could see better than he ever could see during the day as a human. This was great for staring out in the night and watching the forest creep along. The forrest was full of life at night and John found it to be quite entertaining. He never wasted a moment to appreciate his life. When it was finally time for him to learn to fly he was ready. He had been waiting for this day. He walked up to the side of the nest and looked out, it was much higher than he remembered. He took a deep breath “Alright I can do this” he thought, “on three,” he took another deep breath “one,..wahhhk!” His mother pushed him out and he soon found himself falling at an incredible rate. He spread his wings almost naturally and right before disaster, John caught the wind and pulled up and into the sky! He flapped a couple of times and then let the wind rush over his face. “What a feeling!” John screeched. He didn’t want to stop. He would glide as far as he could then flap a few more times lifting himself higher into the air. It was the most wonderful experience John could ever remember feeling. Drifting and floating through the air he felt like going forever, but his mother would worry, he was still not entirely ready to leave her yet. You see when you start life as a new creature you must relearn everything, much like an infant. For example you are born a squirrel, you do not know how to be a squirrel entirely at first. There are certain rules of being a squirrel you must learn. So for John, while he had learned to fly, he still had no idea about hunting, or the sorts of dangers he faced. Over the next few months his mother taught him many things. How to fish, how to spot and grab easy pray, what to look out for when flying. One thing she insisted he remember was, “Never eat food off the long black ground.” John was not entirely sure what she meant by this but he promised her he would be careful.
In time he learned everything from his mother he could and soon he was ready to set off on his own. He could not wait to finally take off on his own. The moment he left he immediately felt free. He flew as far as he could fly that day. All he wanted to do was fly and see all he could. John had never traveled much before and he was ready to explore the world around him. He would spend days just flying everywhere his wings would take him. He again remembered what Gerald said about appreciating the little thing and when he found a place he liked he would stop and spend most of his time exploring it as much as possible. He flew from one ocean to the next, stopping wherever he pleased. He admired every place he went to. High mountains of magnificent colors that nearly broke the sky, crystal clear lakes that looked like glass in the early mornings, trees that were taller than the clouds. “This is heaven,” he thought to himself. “A world created for us with so much beauty and so much opportunity, it just must be.” His life was magnificent. Many times while traveling he would forget to eat, getting too caught up in all he was seeing to think about food. One day on his sixth or seventh trip across the country, he found himself very hungry. He started looking for food and saw a really easy meal. He was so hungry he couldn’t resist even though it was on the long black ground that his mother had warned him about. He swooped down to grab his food. At that moment he was blinded by a bright light, stunned, he couldn’t move. The next time he woke up he could no longer fly, in fact he was back to not moving at all, at least by his own power. He was a blade of grass, growing slowly up towards the sky. John was sad to not be able to fly anymore, but he remembered that it is just a part of the cycle of life. He found pleasure in the
relaxing life of being grass, soaking up nutrients from the ground and sunlight, blowing in the wind. It was a much easier life and not nearly as hectic. However, he was not destined to be grass long, one day he found himself in a large shadow. He could hear the sounds of chewing and feel large steps shaking the ground. “What is happening?’ John thought. Everything went dark again. Again he saw daylight and now he was a cow. Life as a cow wasn’t much harder than life as grass. Everything was provided for you. He spent his early days close to his mother playing and eating. Running around with the other young calfs. As he grew older he noticed cows he knew started to disappear. He became curious of what happened to them. He started asking his mother what was going on. “They are being taken to be killed,” she said with a slight melancholy. “To be killed!?” John replied shocked. “How can you let this happen!?” “It is part of our lives, we grow and when we get big enough we are killed and we become food.” John could not believe his ears. He was terrified. He spent the next few days a little ways away from the rest of the herd. He didn’t want to see who wouldn’t be there that day nor did he want to risk maybe being taken himself. He spent his day thinking about what his mother told him. He decided he didn’t want to die and be eaten and he would make a break for it the first moment he could. Live out his life in the wild, that sounded good.
His first attempt was a complete failure, he knew the truck would come in every morning with the farmer to check on the cows. He decided to just run through the gate when he got the chance. Unfortunately the ground was broken up right at the gate and he couldn’t figure out his footing. He had to abandon this attempt. His next one was slightly better, he just started walking, he seemed to be walking forever and he thought that he might just be free! But then a fence suddenly appeared stretching above the ground as far as his eyes could see dashed his hopes. He started walking along the fence and before he knew it he was right back with the herd, he had walked in a big circle. He didn’t know what else he could do. That night there was a big storm that knocked down a tree on the far end of the field. John saw that the fence in that area had been knocked over and he could walk through. This was his chance he realized. He could finally be free from this place. He started walking through; a couple of other cows had the same idea and were already outside the fence. Most of the cows however stayed. He looked back at the remaining cows, “Why aren’t they running away?” At that moment he remembered when he was just an acorn on Gerald’s branch. John had been afraid to be eaten as an acorn, but in the end it wasn’t so bad. It was just another part of his illustrious life, the next step in the cycle. He found himself unable to move any further. He so badly wanted to escape and be free. At the same time he remembered Gerald never decided to stop being a tree, because that was his current life, which he was supposed to live.
He turned around and started back into the field. “If I am supposed to be a cow, then I am supposed to be a cow.” He rejoined the herd. It wasn’t long until it was his turn to board the truck. He couldn’t help but be frightened, still he mustered up all his courage and walked with his head up and onto the truck. They took him to a big facility. He was pushed through this line and soon was facing death. He never once wavered as he walked towards his fate, his head still held high. Quickly it was in a seemed, he very familiar
shape. He as he could again. He was so excited! He looked at his mother and his father when he finally opened his eyes. John felt a familiarity with his father, beyond the normal feelings but he could not understand it. “What should we name him Kevin?” His mother asked his father. “John, after the brother I never got to know.” stretched as far and he felt… fingers! He
made fists and then he noticed toes too! “Oh my, is it true?” John was human
Had John been able to remember more at that time, he might have noticed this moment. However he was starting a new life yet again. Learning everything for the first time, yet again, but this time they did come easier. He was seen as a very intelligent baby. When he was three years old he started to remember little things about his past lives but they didn’t make much sense. He remembered watching sunsets in a tree. Flying over rivers, the look of the sky during a thunderstorm from a blade of grass’s point of view. These were all wonderful thoughts, especially for a small child, but they did not mean anything to most people. He had never gotten the chance to meet his grandfather who had passed away before John was born. His grandmother was still alive but was very old. One weekend he was told he was going to visit his grandmother. She was coming to the end of her life and was lying in her bed when John and his family arrived. John walked timidly into the room. He had met his grandmother before, but he was too young to remember those moments. He walked into her room and looked into his grandmothers eyes, suddenly a memory shot through his mind. He knew those eyes, he knew this woman, beyond just being his grandmother. All the memories of Gerald and being an acorn, and being a squirrel, owl, grass, and a cow came rushing back to him. He looked again into his grandmother’s eyes, he then realized, she was his mom before he was an acorn! A sudden joy rushed over him at his grandmother’s bedside. “Mom, it’s me, John! It’s me!” John’s mother looked at him somewhat shocked. Then she looked into his eyes and saw through them and knew. It was her John. Her face lit up and smiled, and with that she closed her eyes and fell into a never-ending sleep.
Young John knew that she had passed and immediately his heart dropped. How could this happen now? Though he knew that there was nothing he could do, he had to be happy with just that moment. His grandmother was cremated and the family took her to the same tree under which she had buried her John and they had buried John’s father. When young John walked up to the tree, the tree immediately recognized John but wondered if he remembered him too? They buried John’s grandmother and John placed a single purple tulip over the spot. He then started climbing Gerald. At three he was tall for his age and climbing seemed to come natural to him. Gerald was so happy to be so close to his friend again, if only he could express it. Then John climbed all the way to his old branch. “How curious,” Gerald thought. “Maybe he does remember?” Then John bent down gripping the branch in his arms, “Hello Gerald.” John sat there until the sun started to set, his parents sitting at Gerald’s base, called him down. Gerald couldn’t believe it, he remembered him, his soul was so touched that as John walked beneath him some of his leaves fell softly to the ground. The End
In our society today, we have built an irrational fear of death and loss. We are afraid of change, and afraid of being hurt. All of these fears are constructed in our minds and hold us captive from being ourselves and truly living our lives. If there is anything I hope you take from this story it is that death and change is
nothing to be afraid of, it is a beautiful part of life and we must accept both to be free. Love every moment like it is your last and learn from everything that happens to you, good or bad. Aloha. One last time, if you enjoyed the story please pass it along. Share it with all who would benefit from it. It is free for you to distribute as you please. I just ask that if maybe this story has touched you enough you consider giving a donation to help me reach my goal of being a farmer. With love and aloha, always, Carl. https://sites.google.com/site/bruchafarms/
