The Withering of A Wandering Heart | A Parable

There was once an arborist who loved her work.  She went deep into a dark cool forest and found a young pine tree.  Gently, she dug up the small tree and brought it home with her.  She dug a hole near a stream, set the roots of the young tree in the hole and filled the hole with rich soil.  The tree was thankful and joyful for its new home.  And the tree began to grow.

As the tree grew taller it noticed a nearby pasture with more sunlight and flowers all around.  The tree asked the arborist to move so it could have more light and enjoy the flowers.  Gently she dug up the tree and brought it to the nearby pasture.  She dug a hole, set the roots of the tree in the hole and filled the hole with rich soil.  The tree liked the new spot with the sunlight and flowers. 

A short time later, on a particularly hot day, the tree longed for some shade.  The tree looked around and noticed the shadow of the forest cast upon the pasture a short distance away.  The tree asked the arborist to move toward the edge of the forest where there would be shade.  Gently she dug up the now larger tree and brought it to the edge of the forest.  She dug a hole, set the roots of the tree in the hole and filled the hole with rich soil.  The tree liked the cool damp shade. 

In time the arborist noticed the tree hadn’t grown.  She knew she needed to move it.  Gently, she dug up the tree and brought it back near the stream.  The tree was lighter and its roots looked thin.  She dug a new hole, set the roots of the light tree in the hole and filled the hole with rich soil.  The tree was happy to be back by the stream.

Shortly though, the tree again noticed the sunlit pasture with flowers all around.  The tree asked the arborist to move for more light and the flowers.  The arborist cautioned the tree with reminders of last time.  The tree insisted.  So, ever so gently, she dug up the tree and moved it to the pasture.  Though bigger, the tree was lighter still and its roots felt dry and weak.  She dug a new hole, set the roots of the weakening tree in the hole, and filled the hole with rich soil.  She watered the tree and trimmed it, but the tree did not seem happy.

The sun was bright and hot.  The tree again wanted to move toward the edge of the forest for shade.  The arborist was concerned.  However, gentler still, she dug up the tree and moved it to the edge of the forest.  The tree was yet lighter and its roots were small and withering.  She dug a new hole, set the roots of the tree in the hole, and filled the hole with rich soil.  She watered it and watered it, and trimmed it some more.  The tree was not happy.

Finally the arborist, noticing the frail light limbs and hollow appearance of the now leaning tree, gently dug it up and moved it back near the stream.  The tree was lighter than ever and its roots were shrunken to near nothing.  She dug a new hole, set what was left of the roots in the hole, and filled the hole with rich soil.  The arborist hoped the tree would grow again.