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The Story:
I heard of a place called the Striking Tree, where lightning from a mysterious storm cloud strikes the tree every hour. They said that’s where I had to go, if I wanted to find my worth.
My journey took years. Some towns were dead ends, and I would have to backtrack and find anyone with knowledge of the legend. There were even times when I was misled to travel for days in the wrong direction. I was attacked by vandals twelve times, winning some confrontations but barely surviving others.
I finally learned the key to finding the place from an old blind man, whose eyes looked like they had been scorched.
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“The tree required my eyes.”
“Required… What does that mean?”
“The tree is a shortcut to finding your true worth, Ash. Most people spend a lifetime to discover their worth at the end. A sacrifice must be made to speed this truth’s coming.”
“Help me.”
“Help yourself,” the old man said, motioning to a hot fireplace poker.
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My eye sockets stopped burning after two days. When I stepped back outside, I expected to see nothing but darkness. But a great distance away, not hindered by any homes or trees or mountains, I could see the tree and its storm cloud like a brilliant white light.
Over several more days, I felt my way to the tree. When I arrived, I stared at the tree’s light until a bolt of lightning struck it and leapt over to me, knocking me off my feet. That’s when the tree spoke to me.
“You’ve come for your worth.”
“Yes. Please, what is my worth?”
“You were to be a great artist, remembered for generations.”
“Were?”
“Until you hastened this truth. The destruction of your sight has changed your worth.”
“So… I am worth nothing.”
“No. Simply changed.”
The tree could sense that I didn’t understand. It left me with a final thought.
“Everyone has an equally important worth, no matter their circumstances. In time you will find how yours has changed.”
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