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The Vision of the Tree In the second year, eighth month, and fifth day of the Bush administration, the word of the Lord came to me saying, "Go to the redwood forests and behold a tree." So I went to the redwood forests, by way of the New York island, and the gulf stream waters, and on to California. There I stood at the base of an enormous tree. "But, Lord, this is a sequoia, not a redwood." And the Lord said, "Sequoia. Redwood. Who's to know? Now pay attention." The giant sequoia was more than 300 feet high, taller than a football field stood on end. Its circumference at the base measured 97 feet. This Tree seemed alone, as on a plain, and around the foot and stretching out as far as the eye could see were the peoples of the world, masses of people more numerous than, but as colorful as, the sands of the sea. But the people could not really approach the Tree itself. At least not without some help. That appeared to be the function of Important Persons who had gathered around the Tree, forming several rings of conversation, although those who were talking on one side of the Tree couldn't hear what those on the other side were saying. So large was the Tree. These Important Persons were easily identified by their robes, or mitered heads, or expensive suits and flashy rings and white buck shoes and frosted hair or toupee - or, lacking these, Important Persons were wearing a wireless headsets, making them look like switchboard operators and were surrounded by screens, mixers, amplifiers, techno-gadgets featuring flying faders, MP3 ID3 tag editors, CD rippers, and more. Each Important Person urged people to climb up on their particular branch of the Tree that I guess they owned. Some were selling a Book about the Tree and its lineage. This Book was translated into all the languages of the world, although some - ironically the best-educated - insisted on many translations for their own language because the Book was so hard to understand otherwise. The people of Djibouti had but one translation, and they seemed to do just fine. Other IPs were not talking about the Tree but about the air around the Tree. Some referred to it as postmodern air, and noted the striking differences between the air of the past and the air of the present, getting considerably worked up about the air of the future. These discussions promoted what some were calling the "air wars." They said that the air wasn't going to change, so that the Tree instead must change and adapt to the air around it, or else it would die. But the people mostly said, "Huh?" and soon got bored and moved about to listen to another IP. Many of the people at the base of the Tree were seeking shelter from the Coming Storm. Unfortunately, most of the fresh growth was near the top of the Tree. Here, fresh branches with lush and thick foliage were thrusting their branches to the sky. But all this new growth provided little shade for the huddled throngs below since it was so high on the Tree. The branches under which the masses did seek shelter were actually the main branches and some of the largest trunks of the Tree. But they had long become old and brittle, and while many could climb up on them, and hang on to them, most fell off after attempting to do so for there was nothing to cling to. They resigned themselves to whatever shelter they could find beneath these venerable but bare branches which provided little protection from the noonday sun or the blowing wind and pounding rain. Then I noticed some IPs in fine clothes selling a series of paperbacks called THE COMING STORM that warned people about a day when there would be no Tree. They urged people to buy their books (at this point, I could see about 10 different titles and more were on the way) to learn more about this phenomenon. They argued that people had best climb up on to the branches of the Tree quickly - not just any branches, but those near the top - so that when the Coming Storm arrives they will be prepared. The Coming Storm will shear off the top of the Tree, they said, like the third stage of Apollo 13, and only those on board will be saved. Bemused, I moved on. I saw others at the base of the Tree trying to chop it down! They were hacking away at it, while at the same time directing the masses to some little saplings nearby that were struggling to grow. The institutional Tree, they said, was the false Tree. Their Tree, over there, was the true Tree. Well, it clearly was an old tree. A visitor sign said the Tree was some 2,000 years old. It looked like it. (Some IPs were selling charts describing the various ages of the Tree.) The base and trunk were enormous, so strong, that when forest fires swept through the region, the Tree itself stood strong and emerged unscathed. You could still see the black ash and soot where the flames had lapped at the soft wood. I knelt down on the soil at the base of the Tree and pushed my hands through. It was blood-red and rich. Still, the Tree had suffered. Its trunk some ways up, was split. And new, severe gashes appeared where the Tree had recently been struck by a series of lightning bolts. I wondered if the Tree could possibly survive. Then I spied a worn copy of the Book lying on the ground, its pages fluttering in the breeze. And the Lord said, "Take it and read." So I picked it up and glanced at the words on the page: "Not even the gates of hell will prevail against it." And I said, "How, O Lord, will the Tree survive when so many well-meaning fools appear to be bent on destroying it?" The Lord said, "Put your faith not in the Tree but in the
One who created the Tree. The Tree will grow and spread its branches
as a shelter for the nations and those who find its comfort will
be blessed."
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