HUMANS spend most of their lives fearing war, invasion and exploitation.
This does not occur in community of trees. Trees thrive and support each other in a habitat they cultivate for their mutual existence. This is similar to what happens in forests with trees helping each other grow. Trees also use scent as a means of communication. Generally, they alert other trees to dangers, such as animal predators. That’s how trees stay alive. They understand that they won’t live if they’re isolated. Nature’s fury destroys trees that attempt to live alone. For instance, a solitary, tall tree is often hit by lightning. Trees also give their nutrients to nearby trees. Trees in a forest do not try to grow at the expense of other trees. They collectively thrive and survive storms, floods and heat due to this shared system of care.
Trees don’t tolerate uneven development. They distribute nature’s advantages without bias. The older trees nourish the young ones through their roots, helping them grow freely. Healthy trees help old ones by sharing starch and enzymes, helping them live. Because they share to ensure equality in their system, they experience equal, unresisted growth and the entire forest becomes stronger against challenges. Trees achieve their peak, grow to their fullest, and yield maximum fruit. One can see this from the height of the trees. Every species of tree gets to the same height and grows to the same extent. This suggests that their surroundings facilitate their equal development. Additionally, the trees never hinder each other’s growth. Indeed, they foster the progress of others, ensuring that no part of the forest becomes weak or neglected.
It carries a message for humanity. Prosperity comes from surviving together in a helpful environment. No nation can survive and succeed alone today. Nations must rely on each other constructively to benefit from growth in the modern world. The truth is that human survival, just like the forest’s survival, depends on unity, mutual assistance and fairness. Even though people aren’t trees, they can still learn from them to solve global issues. Allah Almighty created humans to be the best. They have the best traits and the capacity to flourish. However, they let evil curse them, thus limiting their development and turning them against one another.
Humans are not like trees, as they fail in comparison. This wickedness prevents people from achieving their full potential. When people compare themselves to others, they develop bad traits, which lead to immoral actions. In contrast, constructive comparison leads to prosperity, but it’s rare. Unlike trees, humans are vulnerable to the evil of hatred, which can lead them to do things with negative consequences. Due to hate, people commit crimes, injure others and threaten the safety and well-being of others, and this happens only because hate transforms the innocent into haters.
Humans, unlike trees, also exploit others, accumulating wealth and abandoning the disadvantaged. This is where the negativity of inequality originates. Every crime in society has a direct or indirect tie to this evil.
This wicked act has divided the Earth into two parts: the developed and developing world. How can the world ignore Europe’s past exploitation of Asian and African wealth? Worldwide inequality stems from the exploitative nature of today’s world order. This holds true for individuals as well; they exploit each other and cause harm without hesitation or remorse. Human societies, unlike forests, are plagued by evils hindering collective growth. Evil’s dominance over humanity caused the World Wars. Societal evils fuel the development of weapons of mass destruction by nations. This destructive thinking not only harms others but also puts the survival of all at risk.
Forests grow because trees always grow together. They oppose dominating, exploiting or restricting other trees’ growth. They provide sustenance and defence for old trees. They support their young trees, allowing them to reach their full potential. They protect one another from storms, pests and damage, knowing that the whole thrives when each part is strong. Humans’ inability to think like trees causes global chaos and inner turmoil. But that is also what human beings must fight against in life—the evil tendencies. The ability to fight evil and support good makes humans superior. Trees might lack the power to fight evil, so evil’s curses might not affect them. People possess the strength to rise above wickedness. They need the knowledge to overcome the evils that divide and weaken societies.
Realizing that comparisons are harmful, that hate is self-destructive and that exploitation causes universal conflict is essential for human survival. Imparting these values to people is not solely the governments’ duty. People are morally and ethically obligated to work on this to improve themselves and the world. Identifying and battling evil is humanity’s greatest task. Our shared goal is to create a world that is peaceful, harmonious and safe for everyone. When group needs are put before personal gain, we all prosper, which explains how trees survive in a forest.
Yet, if evil thoughts control human beings, ruin and disorder are born. The world requires leaders who attract collectivism and repel evil. The world’s nations and societies have no other option for survival. If humanity learns to grow like the trees—rooted in fairness, rising in unity and sheltering one another—then no storm will be strong enough to break them. But if human beings choose division over harmony, their strength will wither, and so will they.
—The writer is Commoner from 44th Common Educationist — Founder of WHI Institute.based in Sargodha.
