The Cycle of Life

Two months ago my 13-year old son and I were hiking a beautiful trail in the Muir Woods National Monument near San Francisco, when the subject of “life” came up. “Everything in nature contributes to something,” I said to him. “There is a cycle of life in the eco-system that breathes wholeness, balance and harmony. Nature is about giving and only taking for the sake of life!”

Then I told my son a story.

There was once a little seed at Redwood National Park on the Pacific Coast of Northern California that grew up to be a giant Redwood. Year after year, the unnamed Redwood tree watched each sunset and sunrise. He saw the stars of the night and the moon shining bright. He was admired by tourists visiting the Park as a glorious Redwood tree. King of the forest, he lived vigorously for over one thousand years; however, one day old age overcame tree and it fell to the ground. The Park rangers lamented the end of such a magnificent tree and soon sawed the tree into pieces to clear the path. The pieces were intentionally scattered all over the area, thus allowing nature to re-absorb its own substance. Silently but with resiliency the cycle of life was happening through this single event; to be born, give and die giving.

Many months later a happy family visited the park. No one knew this would be their last road trip as a family. They hiked all day, enjoying nature. On their way back the 10-year-old boy eyed a piece of Redwood on the ground. He fell in love with it, and on an impulse of his heart decided to take it home. His mom told him, “Just leave it there; it’s too heavy.” But the boy could not part with the piece of Redwood and decided to take it home. Just as predicted, fifteen minutes later he stopped to rest. The piece of Redwood had become heavier by the minute. His dad, feeling his heart, decided to help him. “That’s what families are for,” he said to himself as he thought of the priceless opportunity to help his boy carry his chosen piece of Redwood. “Families are not only to carry the burdens of duty for each other but also the burden of individual choices and even the capricious ones. Family life is not for perfect people, anyway!” Fifteen minutes later the dad felt the heaviness of the piece, and the boy’s sister jumped in to help carry it. They took turns helping the boy and arrived back to their camp site with the piece of Redwood. The simple piece of Redwood had now become a symbol of what a family stands for - the cycle of life.

They drove back home to Southern California, and the piece of Redwood ended up in an obscure corner of their garage, where all the forgotten pieces of life belong. For three years it did not see sunsets or sunrises but just lay dormant on the floor.

One day, the boy’s pet Stitch – a Southern Flying squirrel who he had loved for six years since birth – died. The boy tearfully felt Stitch’s death like a knife in his heart. His sister gently took Stitch from the cage and put his cold little body in a shoe box, suggesting that the family bury Stitch in the backyard later.

A few days went by, and unbeknownst to every one, the boy’s sister had gone to the obscure corner of the garage and carved a picture of Stitch, his name, the date of birth and death on the piece of Redwood. She finished the job and presented the “tombstone” to her brother to honor Stitch’s memory.

The family went to the backyard, dug a hole in the ground and gently placed the shoe box with Stitch’s body in the ground, covering it with dirt. The tombstone was placed as a memorial to Stitch. They family held hands, thanking God for little Stitch’s life and the joy he had brought to the boy’s life, and silently walked away.

The boy was my son, Hansel, who was now hiking with me. Stitch had been his pet. His sister was Heidi. The trip to the Redwoods where he found the Redwood piece was our last road trip as the family we were then. Now, three years later, I was recalling the story to Hansel. “The Redwood, Stitch, and our new family are all part of the cycle of life,” I said to Hansel.

“You see, Hansel, life is about giving. The giant Redwood never knew one of his pieces would one day be a memorial tombstone to Stitch. Stitch never knew one day he would be remembered for the joys he brought into your life. Heidi and I never knew that the Redwood piece we carried that day would be meaningful to you. Suddenly, insignificant acts became all interconnected!”

My son looked at me with the eyes of wonderment, knowing in his heart that the story made sense and the cycle of life was true for those who have the heart to understand it.

Nothing in the cycle of life is an accident; people may have accidents and hurt others selfishly, but nothing is an accident in the cycle of life. You are either a part of the cycle of life or you miss it forever! Living creatures are born and die. People may stay married, true to their commitment, or walk away from each other. Friends may be loyal or betray each other. Nothing interrupts the cycle of life. It is just a matter of personal awareness and choice. Some experience it, others don’t! Some remain in the cycle of life and others walk away from it.

The cycle of life is about giving and being a part of something greater than oneself. Those who hear with their heart find their place in the cycle of life and receive the positive energy born from their connectedness with the greater universe. Those whose ears are not tuned to the subtle symphony of life miss the moment, and suddenly they see themselves, events, moments and people as mere accidents. They end up alone and disconnected.

Our culture of obsession, twisted media, image-making, drugs, sex, empty materialism, and getting the “toys of choice” at any cost, has robbed us from the quiet experience of knowing, experiencing and sharing in the cycle of life. But there are still those who, against the numbing storms of selfishness, know in the depths of their heart that there is a cycle of life and it’s THEIR choice that determines if they are a part of it or not!