Day 50: The seedling.

A simple seedling was carelessly planted in plain, flat soil by a stranger's hands. Through unruly climate, and in small spurts, the seed miraculously grew into a small tree. With the light and love of the sun, it blossomed and before long its branches grew vibrantly green leaves.

But as swiftly as the buds came, the sun was hidden away by dark clouds. The tree soon recognized that rain also helped it grow, and that it should be grateful for those few rays of light that so seldom appeared. With persistence, through those dark days, the tree developed at double speed and its branches became heavy with flowers and fruit.

Years passed quickly and the tree flourished to majestic heights. Its deep roots spread through the earth with great resilience and haste, tangling up with other seeds, urging them to life. Soon separate individual trees grew alongside it and the tree was so proud to witness each of them bear their own assortment of fruit.

The sad day came when the tree became too old to support itself. It became sick; its branches were bare, and it began to droop. A stranger came along to cut it down and take it away. The new trees swayed sadly to demonstrate their grief.

The birds chirped in the sky above and the sun smiled. Because it had been proven that even an abandoned, solitary seedling could grow strong; and if its might is determined enough, it could build an entire forest.