There was a time when far away in seemingly nowhere a tiny green bud appeared on a small twig. As time passed, the tiny bud became larger, and then it became larger yet. It is hard to know exactly when, but soon the bud began to open, and over a short time, the bud unfurled even more. Then, again it is hard to know exactly when, it became clear that the bud was no longer a bud, but rather it had become a very small leaf.
The small leaf continued to grow, and it became vibrant, having a rich green color as it basked in the soft forest light, and there the leaf thrived as it was provided a wondrous exchange of vast energies, seemingly without limit. The light was absorbed, the leaf respired, and energy flowed through it. The leaf grew and was ecstatic in the light. In time the leaf began to sense wondrous feelings, deep rich flows of energy passing through it, and its being was ever expanding.
Then the leaf came to recognize that it was not alone, that there were many leaves all about it, and oddly, the leaf felt at times the most peculiar thing. It felt like it had been here before. One day, the leaf asked the other leaves about this odd feeling, and some of the other leaves said to it, “You have been here many times before, in your form. That is what you feel. We have studied this carefully, and you have certainly been a leaf many times. Judging by the feelings you describe, you must be at the pinnacle of your being. Indeed, you are at the focus of your being!” The leaf didn’t know or understand any of this, but it sounded like a good explanation, or so the leaf thought. After all, many other leaves did describe the same feeling it had, and they certainly did sound like they knew what they were talking about. The leaf then concluded, “I like this feeling, and I like what the other leaves are saying to me and about me. This must be right.”
After a time, the leaf learned from some other leaves about the light, that leaves absorbed special frequencies of light, and that, through this magic, they create. The teaching the young leaf received was that as long as one stayed out of any shadows and kept oneself in the light, correctly facing the light, one would indeed create; one need only be sure to not let oneself be in a shadow but to always get back to being in the light. Some of the leaves that looked like they were very good at being in the light even said to the young leaf, “You are in fact the creator, all this energy comes from you, and you have existed since eternity – you just can’t remember this. If you stay in the light long enough, you will know that you are the light and that you are the Creator. Listen to us and work hard to be and do as we do, then you will find that you can do anything, for we have studied this knowledge very carefully.” This, too, the leaf liked to hear about itself, and so it believed the other leaves.
Time went by and the light grew in the brilliance and duration of each passing day. The leaf basked in this light longer and longer, and it grew. Then, one day, when the light was at its brightest and the day was very long indeed, the leaf had managed to stay in the light all day long, and it felt powerful. The leaf was coursing with energy more than ever, and the leaf said to itself, “Yes, I do feel the power! The others are right! I am the Creator, for I can feel the energy within me, and it feels good. It is me! I see it now. I AM the Creator just as they said.”
Then, from behind the leaf, the tree groaned, “YOU? You are not the Creator! You are here one season, tossed and twisted about by every passing breeze! One day you face this way; another day you face some other. It is good indeed that the light regains your attention and brings your awareness back to it, for you would be absolutely nothing without the Light, without the Creator. Did you think all these wonders are here because of you? Do you think these great energies are provided for you, just for you?!
Finish your cycle and continue to repeat your lesson. Return to the ground; lie among the many others that have fallen, those who have returned many seasons before you. Then, when you are ready, come back, and in time, perhaps, you may be a branch rather than a mere bud. And then you may be a greater blessing to the many leaves, serving the greater limbs and much more. Then, if you bring forth fruit and carry it forth, perhaps someday you may even be a tree, bringing forth even more blessings, blessings far beyond your comprehension.” And the leaf replied, “Then from all my vast wisdom learned from being a leaf many times, and from being a branch, and bringing fruit…and then to being a tree…then I will be Creator!”
In response, the limbs and trees, together with the whole forest, replied, “Foolish leaf. You have been confused through listening to boastful leaves enamored by energies, speaking of things of which they know little. You are but one leaf on one tree in one forest of many forests; you are as one drop of water in a river that courses from rain to ocean, as one spark of the great fire that burns forth from the Source. Your existence results because of many deep and ancient thoughts that came forth and gave form, from the earliest moments at the beginning of the light. This creation is not about you. You are one part. Learn now to be part of the whole, and stop your fascination with self. Be grateful the Creator has given you the presence to do just this now.”