The Apple Tree

by Muddasser Nazir (Pakistan)

I didn't expect to find Pakistan

The beauty of fresh apples caught my attention without realizing that an old man is standing nearby tending to the apple trees. He started a conversation with me asking me about myself and where I belong to. Then he introduced himself as an owner of the garden and offered me some apples. His family was a small unit, comprising of the grand parents and children who were the companions of each other through thick and thin. That family shared a striking resemblance with the apples as their blooming and rose-colored cheeks revealed the sweet nectar of life gathered through strangely sweet landscape of life. In response to his warm welcome, I started having a conversation with him asking him about his work and family. Suddenly, out of habit to ask the elderly for the words of wisdom from their long life journey, I urged him to tell me a precious life lesson. In his wild ride of the story, he mentioned that how he has witnessed the ups and downs in the local economy with the change in the political, religious and social structures of the land. In the time of his youth, he had worked as a guide for the tourists who came to visit that beautiful valley and its surrounding areas. Affluence: The apple tree normally takes from 2 to 10 years to bear fruits. By working as a guide, he started earning and saving money. After a period of almost 7 years, he managed to save enough money to open his own motel. With hard work, determination and his ethical values, he managed to gain riches and expanding his business with the passage of time. In the meantime, he got married. Adventure: From there started another adventure of family life, sweet, crunchy and delicious as apples. The couple anchored themselves as the seeds of the family unit around which their offspring was nurtured and raised. To the old man’s surprise, this monumental shift in his lifestyle never disturbed him rather it made him resolute and made him realize his responsibilities not only as husband or father but as a human being. That human being who makes efforts to make this world a prosperous place: not only for himself but also for the ones succeeding him. Love: The purpose of the tree is to produce fruits to fill the appetite of others. Since the day he realized that, he fell head over heels in love with his wife, children and the fellow human beings. Parasites: Doesn’t matter how delicious and healthy apples are, there are always apple maggots waiting for the moment to attack and destroy them. Exactly, this happened few years back when the non-state militants attacked the scenic valley of Sawat and left the flesh of the society rotten. In the ensuing violence, his son and daughter-in-law lost their lives survived by their three children who were suddenly adopted by their grandparents. Slump: The following years were the most difficult ones to live by as the society was in ruins and almost every family had lost someone to the tyrant regime. For the couple of years, this tyrant rule lasted and then Pakistani Military regained control of the valley liberating the depressed people along with the family of the old man. Resilience: Despite the fact that the apple fruit is rotten after the attack of apple maggots but the tree is resilient and with little help it has the ability to bounce back to full life. The old man took care of his family like he had always done and started raising his grandchildren. According to the old man, the character of the man defines him and his character is judged by his ability to stand for the right and fulfill his responsibilities no matter what the situation is. Now my time with him came to an end but not the treasures of wisdom I had the fortune of getting from him. I took the big chunk of bite from a sweet apple and while swallowing the delicious pulp left for my way.