One Tree’s Symphony, a children’s story that adults will love, about attracting good friends, self love, letting go.

One Tree’s Symphony

By

Sheleigh Lee

An inspirational children’s story, that adults will love, about how we attract good friends, by loving ourselves enough to let go of what does not serve us.

Once there was a Tree.  This Tree was always looking with envy, at neighboring trees filled with birds that had passed him by.  Look at how many friends he has, the Tree thought, oh, I should have his special bark, so that I could have that many friends; but I don’t, and look over here; oh, if I only had her cool leaves, then I’d have so many friends; but I don’t. The more the Tree thought these thoughts, the more sad and lonely he became.

Then one day, a Woodpecker came and perched on his trunk.  Wow, this is great, the Tree thought, I hope the Woodpecker stays and becomes my friend.

Within a few minutes, the Woodpecker started to do what Woodpeckers do best.  That is, the Woodpecker started to peck at the Tree.

The Tree paid-no-mind to the first peck.  Then the Woodpecker pecked the Tree again.  This time, the Tree took notice and thought, that the pecking could become real annoying, real fast, but he let it go and didn’t say anything.

Then the Woodpecker pecked the Tree again.  This time, the Tree paid closer attention and began to feel annoyed.  The Tree wanted to ask the Woodpecker to stop pecking, but thought, what if I ask him to stop, and he leaves me; then I will have no friends. And so the Tree stayed silent and the pecking continued.

Eventually, the Tree became so angry, that he forced himself to ask the Woodpecker to stop pecking. The Woodpecker ignored the Tree’s request to stop and he continued to peck at the Tree.

The Woodpecker doesn’t care about whether I am annoyed, and I can’t blame him, thought the Tree, most of the time, I don’t even take action when I am annoyed; how can I expect the Woodpecker to take action.  The Tree continued think of excuses for the Woodpecker.  I probably deserve to be pecked, especially since I don’t have special bark or cool leaves like my neighbor, he thought.

Meanwhile, many other birds were visiting the Tree.  Unfortunately, because he was so distracted with the Woodpecker, the Tree did not notice the other visiting birds.

Each time the Tree mentioned that he was annoyed about the pecking, the Woodpecker would peck even harder.  Over time, the Woodpecker pecked so deep into the Tree, that he made a hole straight through the bark and into the soft part of the Tree.

“Ouch!” The pecking started to hurt the Tree.  The Tree thought about his options, well I could tell him to stop pecking again; but there’s no reason to believe that he will stop, since he didn’t stop any of the other times I asked; and worse, the Woodpecker might get annoyed at me for asking him to stop and then he might leave me and then I will have no friends.

Soon, the pecking became so deep, that each peck made the Tree shudder in pain.  The Tree had not noticed, but each time the Tree shuddered, the other visiting birds, became scared and would fly away.  Eventually, the visits from the other birds became shorter and less frequent, until finally, the other birds stopped visiting.  It was just the Tree and the Woodpecker.

Finally, the pain and anger became so great, that the Tree realized that he would be better off alone, than to endure more painful pecking.  So he gathered up his courage, took four long, slow deep breaths and let the Woodpecker know that he was not welcome to perch on the Tree’s trunk any longer.  Reluctantly, the Woodpecker stopped pecking on the Tree and flew away.

The Tree noticed the silence and for a brief moment, felt a small wave of loneliness flow over him.  However, fortunately, it did not take much time for him to remember the annoyance and the pain that the Woodpecker had caused.

The Tree was proud that he was able to gather the courage to stand-up to the Woodpecker.  The Tree felt stronger and more confident, than he had ever felt before.  With joyful expectation, the Tree wondered, what will it be like when I have new friends? Will any friends I knew before return? What will fun things will we play?

Before the Tree knew what was happening, birds of all types and from all over, came to visit, play and rest on the Tree.  Each type of bird had their own song to sing and together they sounded like a bird symphony, with the wind graciously turning over the leaves of the musical score, as the Tree used his baton-like branches to lead the ensemble.

But one day, to the Tree’s surprise, the singing suddenly stopped and the birds flew away.  The only sound that remained, was an incessant, gull-like, scream.  The Tree checked its branches, which were bare except for a Blue Jay that was perched and screaming, on the highest of his branches.

The Blue Jay did not want to share the Tree with any other birds.  He was jealous of the attention the Tree gave to the other birds and he wanted the Tree all to himself.  So to get the other birds off the Tree and prevent other birds from visiting, the Blue Jay, mimicked the screams of predators, like the calls of gulls and hawks, and scared-off the other birds.

Realizing this, the Tree thought, wow, I would never scare-off someone’s friends, even if I wanted him all to myself.   So the Tree said to the Blue Jay, “wait a minute, that’s not right.  You shouldn’t scare-off my friends.  I have a lot to offer other friends.  Look over here in this nook; it’s perfect for a Robins’ nest.  And take a look over here; this branch would be fine support for an entire crew of chickadees.  Please do not scare-off my friends.”

But, like the Woodpecker, the Blue Jay ignored to the Tree’s request.   The Blue Jay just kept on screaming and scaring-off all the other birds, so that no birds would perch on the Tree.

This time the Tree noticed that he had a very lonely feeling, even though there was a bird perched on his branch.  The Tree felt confused.  How can I feel lonely when I have a bird perched on my branches.  That’s what I had wished for, hadn’t I?  What if I tell the Blue Jay to leave and then, nobody else wants to be my friend?  Each time the Tree thought those thoughts, it made the Tree shudder.  The Blue Jay paid-no-mind to the Tree’s shuddering and continued to perched and screaming, on the Tree and scaring-off the other birds.

Meanwhile, a stream of birds continued to fly above and encircle the Tree. Unfortunately, the Tree was so distracted by the Blue Jay, that he could not see those other birds.

Tuning-out the Blue Jay’s screaming for a moment, the Tree watched, as birds played in the neighboring Trees.  Then the Tree remembered that his symphony of birds had come to him, when he loved himself enough to stand-up to that Woodpecker bully.  Maybe if I love myself enough to do this, the Tree thought, then other birds will want to perch on me again.

So he gathered up his courage again, and told the Blue Jay that he was not welcome to perch on the Tree any longer.  The Blue Jay stubbornly ignored the Tree, but the Tree did not give up.  Instead, the Tree wished for a storm to pass his way.  When it did, with the wind on his side, the Tree moved his branches so turbulently, that the Blue Jay decided that it was too much work to stay on the Tree and so he flew away.

Recognizing that he had once again defeated a bully, the Tree felt even stronger, and more confident and powerful than the first time.  The Tree was so proud and he reveled in his accomplishment and his love for himself continued to grow.

Soon after that, an endless stream of birds of every variety, flocked and flew to and from the Tree, joyfully participating in the symphony with their songs.  The Tree graciously lead the ever changing ensemble, in unison with the wind, filled with love and gratitude and free and happy, forever.

©2016 Sheleigh Lee.  All rights reserved.  Please contact us if you are interested in publishing or otherwise using this story.  Click here to contact us.

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