she sat with her anger long enough to know its real name was grief

Once upon a time, far away in a lost jungle, stood a tree of wisdom. Rumors said it had all the answers in the world.

CHAPTER I: THE MOTHER

One day, a mother came to the tree. Her furious footsteps destroyed the flowerbed on the way.

"How do I punish my son?" asked the mother. "He left without my permission".

"You already did." said the tree. " You are suffering."

"Nonsense!" the mother shrieked. "That is my punishment, not his."

"What would it be like if I told you your mother is being tortured? That her heart is being stabbed by trillions of daggers, her eyes are dryer than the driest desert, and her body is being dragged down by countless mountains?"

The mother sobbed.

"How can I escape this misery?" the mother weakly asked after a long while. "I want to shatter everything that stands in my sight. I am furious and sore. I am exhausted yet unable to rest. I want to run away but don't know where the exit is."

"You need to love." the tree replied.

"Of course, I love him. He's the son I went through indescribable pain to deliver. He's the baby I carried for nine months with extreme cautiousness. I love him with all my heart and soul. That's why it hurt me greatly when he left." the mother explained in tears.

After considering, the tree decided to answer her if she listened to its story.

The mother agreed.

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CHAPTER II: HAPPINESS

The story began as stories usually do: once upon a time...

There were three wretched ogres. They despised the mortals and planned to ban humans from finding happiness. The youngest ogre suggested: "Let's hide happiness deep in the ocean. The little mortals are fragile. They can't hold their breath for too long. They will never find happiness."

The other two disagreed. The second ogre raised its opinion: "One day, humans will build a metal fish to reach the deepest seabed. Let's hide happiness in the center of the earth instead."

Its idea was too denied. The third ogre said: "One day, humans will build a metal worm to reach the earth's inner core. Let's throw happiness out to the floating space outside this globe. They will never be able to get there. They will never find happiness."

Right then, Satan appeared and said: "You stupid three. One day, humans will build a metal bird to conquer space."

"What do we have to do then?" three ogres asked.

"We'll hide happiness deep inside every single one of them."

"The key to escaping your misery can not be found elsewhere but within yourself." the tree ended its story with its answer as promised. "You came to your world with the ultimate decision to your contentment, yet you gave that supreme power to a temporary other, let them control your well-being. Therefore, the first step to cease your suffering is to regain the authority that was initially yours."

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CHAPTER III: NOTHINGNESS

The mother cried, "It's impossible. How can anyone find happiness after losing the most precious thing in life?"

"You didn't lose anything. You no longer see your son, but he is still present in many ways.

He lives on through the memories you hold and the love you share. He is the air he once breathed, the actions he took, and the impact he made on others.

All individuals are part of a greater whole, and while his physical form may no longer be here, his essence and energy continue in different forms. Your son’s presence remains, just not in the way you once knew.

With time, flesh will turn into dust, dust will turn into plants, plants will turn into mountains, mountains will turn to seas, and seas will turn into drylands. We come as one form and transfer to others with the cosmos.

Everything in life is interconnected, constantly changing, and has no fixed or independent self. Not a single being is permanent."

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CHAPTER IV: THE CHILD

The mother kept sobbing. The tree continued its answer: "I understand and respect your journey as a mother. You have given him care, attention, and protection. The love you gave your son is undeniably powerful. But in many ways, it may be conditional.

You likely expected him to behave according to a standard, to fulfill dreams you have for him, or to avoid causing you pain. These expectations, while natural, make this affection somewhat tied to conditions. He may feel he must act a certain way to make you happy or avoid disappointing you.

This is not to say your love isn’t real or that it doesn’t matter. But the highest form of love is the one that is free from attachment, expectation, or need. It is a love that allows the other person to be who they are, without asking them to change or fulfill your wishes. It should liberate both the giver and receiver, you and your son."

"But that's the only kind of love I know." the mother sounded confused. "That's how my parents loved me, and their parents loved them."

"You can always learn. It isn't easy, but it's not unachievable." the tree replied.