Sunday, May 18, 2008

Love-Hate - Arguments

It had endured many strong winds and drafts. The kind of weather it was used to, there was always one air current or another. At times - it got so used to the currents - it would not even realize it had been tolerating one.

There were many arguments. Mostly about support and about the leaves. The winds made the branch weak. Its connection to its home branch had been weakened by the excessive winds and it often supported itself with the help of nearby branches and the fencing.

One of the major arguments it often had was with the wind itself. The wind always had a response that made the branch feel worse about the accusation.

The branch would say to the tree, "Over the years, you have done nothing but wear me out. I find it hard to support myself, and I need your help. If you could, you could perhaps reduce the pressure on me so that I can just survive."

And the wind would respond, "You make it look like I'm the bad guy here. I have always brought about changes to your life. I take away the dry leaves that you are unable to support any more and you are able to grow fresh leaves in their place that give you the energy to go on.
"Where would you be without me? How can you always look at things your way and not mine? I travel miles to do you this favour and this is how you thank me? By questioning my motives?"

The branch would shudder and give away, gullible as always. It could never win the argument - in that instant at least. But when it would look back, it could always think of so many things it could have said to win the argument. Like, what it had done for the branch - without keeping count.

Who helped the wind slow down so that it could not become a tornado and be blamed for the lives of so many? The dry leaves it gave the wind allowed it to go and make some stranger's land fertile, rather than its own. And the branch lent the fragrance of its all but one flower to the wind so that it could charm its way everywhere it went.

Moreover, the wind had brought hails, snow and rain with it upon the branch. And it had not only taken away the dry leaves, but also carried away many fresh and healthy ones. And it never showed that it cared.

The wind and the branch never communicate efficiently enough to have a good relationship. They would always be partners at times, enemies at others.

You can't hate without loving, or love without hating.

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