The young squirrel woke to a rosy dawn. The land was awash with a golden light. Birds chirped and crickets sang as clouds began to part, revealing a bright yellow sun.
Inside a hole in an oak tree in the forest, she began packing her stuff into a satchel made of fibers. A quick check of the surrounding hollow and she went out the tree hole. When she reached the bottom of the tree, she hugged it. “Thanks, Oak. You know, for allowing me to stay the night.”
“No problem, Antler. Come this way whenever you like.” As it said this, a warm feeling spread across Antler from her head to her tail. It felt good to be appreciated. As she walked away from the forest, she realized that she was beginning to traverse a human city. She found a sign next to a road which said ‘Caves’. She began following the road.
Along the side of the road were a lot of discarded paraphernalia. Busted tires, engine oil jerry cans, and ripped-up sheets of paper littered the side of the road.
She was attracted by a plastic compass among the rubbish but was surprised with a “SCAT!!!” by a lean middle-aged man. He began raking everything into a large heap.
When he left, she started towards the heap, hoping to find the compass. She kept at digging. When she caught a glimpse of it, she reached for it. But she hadn’t grabbed it in time. She leaped back and up to the safety of a nearby tree. A terrible heat which seared her paw was what made her afraid. This was because the man returned, and not noticing the squirrel, began burning the heap right there and then by the side of the road. Antler watched in horror as the compass, still in plain sight, began to melt away before her very eyes.
She would have liked to have that compass. It would have saved her the trouble of waiting till night to decide where to go using the North Star. That is, if she even saw the North Star. In cloudy evenings, the normally starry sky would be blank and dull. She shrugged and assured herself that without a compass all these years, she had made a lot of friends with animals and plants alike.
Soon, the heap disintegrated into black ashes. As she jumped off the tree bough, she thanked the tree for the safety it gave her. As the tree thanked her back, back came the warmth.
She entered Caves. Houses were arranged in a grid. Streets and roads lined every lot and block. With bridges, marble tiled homes, and stores, Antler knew this town was mostly well-to-do. However, since she noticed the trees and grass surrounding the houses, she knew that this city was a suburban town. She had passed many of these and more as a traveler.
She dodged the rampaging cars and trucks with ease. She briskly walked the lawns of the humans. Houses were usually lined with trees and she made use of them by resting in them from time to time, thanking them afterwards.
In a tree in a certain house, she began to feel hungry. She unpacked a couple of acorns from her satchel and began rapidly chewing at it to get at the good stuff inside. In this tree’s branches while eating, Antler was being shaded well and she felt comfortable here. However, she felt the shade getting darker and darker and reasoned that the apple tree must be very sad.
After eating, she got down and thanked the tree. “Thanks for the shade, Apple!”
The tree sighed.
Antler was confused at this tree. He didn’t give any form of appreciation for her thanks.
“Apple?” she asked back.
“Yes?” replied Apple. His tone was dismissing and it irked Antler a little. However, she kept her voice friendly and reassuring.
“Why are you so sad?” she inquired.
The tree shook its leaves. “I’m sad because I don’t know why I live. All I want to know is what could make me feel better.”
Antler hugged Apple tightly as she inquired, “What have you already tried?”
Apple explained, the frost off his voice replaced by a warmer tone. “Well, I have tried what most trees tell me to. I have grown as much leaves as I could so that people would begin to notice me. My lush, green leaves attracted attention and it actually felt good while it lasted. I felt meaning come into my life; I was meant to be honored and remembered. But soon, when people got used to my leafiness, they no longer looked with the same attention I had before. I was just a passing fad. I was no better than I was at the start.”
“Then, I have made my leaves droop and seem to wilt so that the owners of the land would give me more water, fertilizer, and special care. It made my life a little better but I had no reason what it has to do with my life. It still had no meaning. Besides, all the fertilizer and water made me a lot better and I could no longer pretend that I was droopy. So, my question for you, little squirrel, is…” The tree paused. He continued, his voice choked with emotion, “Why was I planted? Please, I would really like to know.”
The tree’s plea was heartwrenching for her. It took a lot of effort for an emotional and outgoing squirrel like her to keep her feelings in. But to appear helpful to Apple, she simply scratched her chin, thinking of ways to alleviate his problem.
She suggested, “What if you start by saying ‘Thank you’ or ‘You’re welcome’ when someone helps you with a problem.”
“Okay, then. I’ll try. Then, if you find my answer, I swear, I’ll give you my best thank you ever. However, what much helping can a tree do? I can’t move, so only a few can I serve.”
She considered this. She had helped and thanked a lot of creatures along her way because she had toured far and wide. But in the case of Apple here, he had only roots. Only a few would receive his thanks and gratitude.
Antler winked and intentionally laced her voice with soft undertones. “Don’t worry. For that, I’ll find an answer too.” She could tell the tree was full of glee, for it seemed like his leaves got greener. “Thank you so much!” The feeling went through her again, warmer this time. She could sense intense gratitude being radiated all around the tree.
Antler nodded and cheerfully went on her way. When she looked back, she saw Apple’s leaves swaying and shaking. The world seemed large and terrifying. But for her new found friend, she would travel the highest mountains and cross the seven seas to find an answer to the tree’s question.