Once, many centuries ago, there was a massive ugly tree in the middle of a village. It was known as the Tree of Selfishness because it occupied the most fertile piece of land in the entire region, yet it produced no edible fruits. Its long, thick branches prevented sufficient sunlight from reaching the field of crops planted in the vicinity of its enormous shadow.
One day, a young woman suggested that they uproot the tree, as she could see what a burden it had become to her people. They scoffed at her. Uprooting this massive tree would be backbreaking work, they argued; it would require months of hard labor. The tree had always been there, and the people had learned to live with it. They felt that they would continue to find ways to deal with it and refused to see the wisdom in the young woman’s suggestion. Occasionally, they would cut down some of its branches so that more sunlight could reach the struggling crops in the shade underneath the tree. As the years passed, the woman stood by quietly and let them be. She said no more about uprooting the tree.
Generation after generation passed. As the tree grew larger, its heavy branches shaded more and more of the fertile land until the tree nearly blotted out the sun. Food scarcity ensued. The people ran from one expert to another for guidance on how to increase their food production. They would do anything and everything, try all kinds of experiments, read all kinds of books, invent new tools—if only they could find a way to produce enough food to sustain themselves. The people never seriously considered removing the tree, for they refused to see the scourge it had become. All their ancestors had lived with the tree. Stories of the tree had been passed down to them for centuries, so it had become part of their village’s identity. They were willing to pay any price and undertake any action, except the very one that would permanently resolve the problem: taking down the ancient tree.
One day, an old farmer found a tablet buried in the ground beside the ancient tree. Inscribed on the stone were instructions on how to remove the tree. It was the work of the young woman who, centuries before, had suggested that her people uproot the tree. Guided from above, she had written down the instructions that must be adhered to by the people to uproot the Tree of Selfishness.
The old man shared this tablet with his neighbors. Faced with starvation, those who still wished to save themselves began the great work of uprooting the massive tree. They were soon weary unto death, for this work required all their strength, but they gradually grew stronger. The more they attacked the root of the tree, the weaker became its influence over them. Seeing its vulnerability, they worked harder and more confidently until the massive tree, which had cast darkness for a thousand years, collapsed to the ground. Freed of this obstruction, a clear sky to the invigorating rays of the sun was once again restored to the land. Within a few months, the crops prospered, the air was cleaner, and the people were happy. Only now did they discern the widespread impact of the Tree of Selfishness on all aspects of their former lives.
…
Selfishness is a self-imposed blindness because it blocks out spiritual light. It stifles the luminous spark within us that would otherwise lead us to the greatest happiness. As with the people of this mythic land, selfishness permeates much of our world’s activity today. It has been part of our dealings with one another for so long that it is now engrained in our way of life. Most people are willing to undertake any measure to address the symptoms of a problem. Few have the courage to attack the cause.