Once upon a time, in a village near the forest,
lived a man with very dark hair and a serious countenance.

He was living alone in a wooden house. He was
making everything with his bare hands.
Every day he walked, before sunrise, deep into the forest.

He picked the highest tree and worked from day to night.
All his furniture, even his plates, spoons and forks, was made of wood.

The man did not have a lot of friends, or neighbors,
and the closest house was miles and miles away. He
never married and he spent all of his life working the
wood. His work made him famous in the nearby
village and they came to him and ask him to repair
everything that was broken. And the man gave all his
time and attention to the wood and it was as if he and wood
understood each other. The wood was given new life and
became a beautiful table, a beautiful chair, or a very
nice door.

People were starting to come to him from far away,

from the big city, asking for more furniture and other decorations.

One day he was preparing a wooden chair, and he
was out in the open air, when suddenly a rare
perfume came to him. He looked around but
nobody was with him. So, the man continued to work
the chair and try to give it a nice shape and wanted to
put also some beautiful colours..

Again the perfume made him turn his head and
then he noticed on the earth a very beautiful
strange flower with several colours…

“I do not remember seeing this flower before” he
said.
“No, you don’t. Because I was a seed and some
days ago a sparrow brought me here from a
foreign country. But as the sparrow got tired
from the long journey, he hid me in the earth,
and he thought that he would come and eat me
later…. But he forgot. I am a seed and if u bury
me I will grow up and become a… “
“A beautiful flower that smells so nice” said
the carpenter.

“Yes, but I smell like that only if I am happy..
Some minutes ago an ant passed and we spoke.

He gave me news about my
family, so I am more happy.”

The perfume was exceptional. It was like the
perfume of the orange flowers with a bit of ylang
ylang. The man had never thought he could speak
with a flower.

“I must finish my chair, I have a lot to do. I must

finish before night comes, ” said the carpenter and

started again to work on the chair.

“Why are you so hurrying to finish your chair?
I see nobody else here with you. Do you have
family, a wife or children?”

Asked the flower.

“No, I am alone and I am very busy. So do not
ask me silly questions, I must work because I
have a chair to deliver….”
“How is possible to work in such a beautiful day,
Look up, the sky is so blue, look at the forest and
the trees, such a beautiful picture.” said the
flower, and continued ” I need some fresh water
and if you have some more grass, you can bring
it close to me, so I will have company. “

“Love yourself… “, said the flower and turned his petals
to the sun.

“I feel much better, but I really need some
water..” repeated the flower again.

“Ohh OK. I will go to bring you some water.”
The man left and went to the house. He took a big
vase and he put some water in it. Then he went out and
he threw the water onto the flower.

“Ohhhh you almost destroy my little petals. I tell
you, you really never love anything or anyone.
You just threw the water, with all your force.
You must be gentle with my petals.”

The flower explained to the carpenter for hours the gentle way

he must water him. And that he must from time to time
change and cultivate the soil. And he asked the carpenter if
he would find some other seeds, and plant them close to
him, so he will not feel alone.

Then the carpenter had a better idea, to take a big
pot. He put some soil inside and he suggested to
his friend the flower to grow in there so he will not
be alone anymore.

The carpenter and the flower became friends; he was
strong enough to carry the pot with him

even when he went to the big city for buying
new tools.

After months passed the carpenter was so
attached to his flower that he started to read books
about gardening and every day tried to make his
friend happier.
He bought a new pot and he placed it near the
window so his flower could have a sun bath all day.
When he went to the forest for cutting wood for his
work, he carried the flower along in a small wooden wagon

so they were always together.

They spoke a lot about everyday life and sometimes
about the future. But the flower always said that we
must show our love now, not in the future”.

Today is so important for the
flowers, from the first sunshine that catches us, we
must take as much light we can, and drink water,
and have someone to care for us, as we are so
fragile.

The flower grew up and became even more beautiful.

And his perfume also became so popular that

when neighbors visited the carpenter, they
asked for the name of this flower, so they can also find
the seeds and plant it in their garden.

The carpenter told his neighbors, “My flower is
very rare and I do not know if you will find the same
seeds. I named my flower “Love”. But as this flower
has a deep impact on my life, I give him this name.
Because he helped me understand that today is more
important than the future.

And love is a free energy and the more we give away,
the more comes back to us. “
The carpenter and the flower stayed friends for a long
time. And the carpenter always left some hours free
after his work for gardening, as he got so many
secrets from his friend, that he could grow any
strange seed and see it grow into a mighty tree or lovely flower.

His garden was very famous and people came from
all over the country to see it.
And when someone asked him about the secret of this
beautiful garden, the carpenter responded, with a
smile:
“Love, is the secret.”
The End