Deep within a forest stood a tree.  It was a lonely little tree because although it was surrounded by hundreds of other trees, it could not see the light.  It felt cut off from the height of itself, the part that could feel the sun’s warmth and rays.

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It was as if this tree was now only a trunk, a trunk that felt rigid and lifeless.  It was rooted in the soil of despair and despondency.  It could not leave.  It could not escape.  It felt trapped.  It was not in a good place.

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One day an axe man came along and sat by the tree, telling her that if she liked, he could cut her down and then her life would be over and she would never have to live in this dark place ever again.  His offer sounded very appealing and she was tempted to take him up on it.  He knew she was interested and so he kept coming back each and every day, trying to persuade her that he was the answer to all her problems.

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Then one day a very different person came along who talked differently to her and never suggested that she would be better off dead.  Instead, he began to tell her of the beauty he saw in her and how excited he was about all she might achieve as a magnificent tree.

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“But I am not a magnificent tree,” she replied. 

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“Who told you that?” he asked. 

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“No one needs to tell me. I know I can’t be as I feel such a failure and a waste of space.  Those are not the characteristics of a magnificent tree!”

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“How do you know that?”  the man again delved deeper.  “Do you believe that magnificent trees haven’t all had their off days, their really bad days and their abysmally awful days?  Do you believe that you are the only one who has desired to give up because living is just too hard?  I can assure you that you are not the first magnificent tree to feel this way and you certainly won’t be the last. Therefore, I need to teach you once more about regaining the zest for life that you had when you first came into this world as a tiny sapling.

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You were planted in the soil of this world and were in awe of the magnificence of the forest all around you.  It held you spellbound and you couldn’t get enough of it.  However, over the years, you’ve lived through many rain showers and cold winters and you’ve almost forgotten that initial awe and wonder and beauty of life.  I need to remind you of all the good things there are in life to help you once again desire to embrace life and leave these feelings and desires for death.

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The first thing I need you to focus on is your beauty.  Just because no one tells you that you are of great worth, beauty and wonder, doesn’t mean that you are not.  Just because at the moment you don’t feel it, doesn’t mean that you’re not intricately and wonderfully made, to offer something of unique worth and significance to this world you are a part of.

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The axe man who comes daily to tell you that death is better than life is a liar.  Death is the end whereas you’ve barely even begun to live and become what your DNA within you will bring into being.  An axe man doesn’t make his offer because he’s kind or benevolent.  He tells you because that is his living, to cut down and destroy.

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I am here to whisper a different message to you, one that says you are of great worth to me, even if to no one else.  I have nothing to gain by being kind to you.  I do so because you have been looking in mirrors which have distorted your beauty, loveliness and innocence and left you feeling ugly, of no worth and dirty.  I am here to hold up different mirrors to you of truth.

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And the first truth you need to hold close to you is that life is very, very precious.  You have been given her as a companion, a companion that walks with you every day, trying to point out things which will add great worth to your life.  Life is a good companion for she always brings light and hope and peace and beauty.  However, you have allowed another companion’s voice to influence you more, the voice of death.  Death brings darkness, depression, hopelessness, despair and blackness.  He is not a good companion to get too close to.

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Each and every day we have the choice as to whose hand we hold that day, the hand of life or the hand of death.  Each and every day we too have the choice of who to listen to, the voice of life or the voice of death.  When you hear terrible thoughts and negativity, these are the gifts death is trying to bring you.  When you hear words that lift your spirits and help you feel lighter and more hopeful, these are the gifts given to you by life.

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Light and darkness walk very closely together in the same way as night and day do too.  Death might be telling you that he reigns, but look at what life will whispers to you.  “After the night always comes the day, it is one of the universal laws of life.”  Death will tell you that you’ll never make it through this night time, whereas life tells you that she can see the dawn breaking on your horizon and when you get there, (not if), there are wonderfully good gifts for you and you alone.

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You haven’t begun to live the life planned for you if you believe death is the only answer.  Believe that you have been beautifully and uniquely made to bring something of great worth to this world.  It is just that you don’t know what that is yet or believe that truth.  However, life believes in you and will do everything she can to lead you to a place where you will once more reconnect with your highest canopy where the sun’s light is flooding over it and bringing hope.  You are not just a trunk planted in poor soil.  That is what the axe man wants you to believe because he can make a lot of money from your wood.  It is not your time yet to leave this world.

Choose to begin to listen more to life’s words than deaths.  Once the axe man knows you’ve given up thoughts of death, he will visit you less and less because he will know that it is a waste of his time.  Instead, he will move on to some other poor unsuspecting tree who has also forgotten or never known their beauty.

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You have a real choice about whether you listen to the words of life or death.  Both will lead you down two very different paths with two very different destinations.  Life will lead you from darkness into light whilst death will lead you further and further away from light.  The choice is yours. 

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Dare to try and live once again, for truly, death has nothing of worth to offer you, now or ever.

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