Hello, this is a short story I made up in lieu of thanksgiving.
It's a story about a stick. Let's call him Anaxios. Hope you enjoy.
First Draft
First Draft
/// Part 1 ///
Anaxios was from a beautiful family (tree). A family firm in
growth, fruitful in nature, and beautiful in sight. All other families looked
up to them and all aspired to be like them. Anaxios was small in part, weak,
and unpopular but still a member of the family. He was considered the
lowest of low in his family member.
Anaxios had many brothers and sisters, but one that was especially
close to him was his brother Eritheia. Eritheia was the most beautiful,
handsome, strong and popular. Everyone liked Eritheia everyone wanted to be
like Eritheia. He was the most treasured member of the family.
"Brother Eritheia, hello. How are you today?" Anaxios
asked gleefully.
"Well, Anaxios, well. How are you today?" said Eritheia.
"As usual brother Eritheia, nothing much. Same ol' same
ol'."
"Same for me. Perhaps, a little less of the usual."
"What goes you? Did you not develop more fruits within
yourself, I hear? Why the melancholy hue?"
"Why yes. Yes.. But not as much as I expected. I desire more.
Selfish I know but I think nothing wrong in that. I want more."
Disappointed, Eritheia continues, "Have you seen our oldest sister? She
has had the most beautiful batch of fruits. Oh how I desire ones like hers. I
need to do better. What about you Anaxios? What say you? Did you develop any
fruit?"
"Well, brother Eritheia... I've been most unlucky. It's
unpleasant to see that I've not have had any fruit at all."
"Quite the news Anaxios. You must develop fruit. Else, you be
cut down and thrown into the pit of fire just like our younger brother. You
must become like me! You must do your best."
"I try, I try brother Eritheia, but all seems naught and
progressing nowhere. Oh how I do wish to be like you, brother Eritheia. What is
your secret?"
"Secret? Bah! There's no secret. You just need to trust in
your abilities. Set goals and meet them. Afterwards, set more goals and meet
them as well!"
"I think I understand. Might I see your fruits as a sort of
demonstration?"
"Oh how I wish I can to help you Anaxios; yet, I cannot. Must
you be like me was a mere jest. Just do your best and make one fruit. (It would
be silly for you to be like me.)"
Anaxios saddened. "I understand brother Eritheia."
"Glad you do Anaxios. Time has come, let us part and I shall
see you later."
"Thank you brother Eritheia. Good-bye."
Anaxios, troubled in head and heart, started quickly to develop
fruit. Still all in vain with no fruit. Eventually, days, weeks, months past
and time finally came for the gardener to glean and clean the trees. Anaxios
still had not make fruit.
"Brother Eritheia! Have you heard news! The gardener has
come!" Anaxios hastily shouted.
"Of course. It's that time of the year. Oh how I'm excited!
But you look troubled Anaxios. Why the anxiety? What premonition?" asked
Eritheia.
"No fruit." cried Anaxios. "I've no fruit. What
shall I do?"
"Oh Anaxios. How I've warned you about doing your best and
setting your goals."
"But all was naught. All was vanity. I've made no progress.
Oh brother Eritheia, might I not take some no one of your fruit? Perhaps the
gardener shall see one of your fruits in my patch and not throw me out!"
"Anaxios, I cannot. These are mine and there's none I can
share."
"Oh brother Eritheia, how I beg to differ! We've been close
brothers since! Might you not have a hint of grace to provide me any
fruit?"
"Anaxios get away from me. I told you I will not."
Eritheia now annoyed.
"Please brother Eritheia I will be thrown away!"
"I'm sorry Anaxios."
Anaxios with nothing in his patch, sees his gardener examining
him.
"A dead branch." the gardener comments. He takes out a
long sharp cutter and proceeds to cut off the dead branch, Anaxios.
Anaxios, witnessing all this, felt pain. Pain he felt as he was
physically cut off, but more so, hurt that he was separated from his family.
His father and mother, no, he had none in the first place. He was an outcast
the whole time. Brother Eritheia merely visited him to boast of his wealth and
health, and to make fun of Anaxios. He was nothing. Pointless. Useless. Worthless.
Unworthy. Anaxios never felt so much pain in his life.
Cast out, alone in darkness. Anaxios wept bitterly.
"There's no one. No one. Oh how I long..." Anaxios
cries. "... someone, anyone, save me."
Anaxios wept and wept. Wept so long, he lost track of time. Deprived,
Anaxios gave up and he was still in silent agony.
/// Part 2 ///
One day, a shepherd came by and saw Anaxios. He picked up Anaxios
and examined him closely, "What a firm branch. I can use you."
Anaxios bitterly thought to himself, "Of what use? I have
nothing. No fruit and dead. I am absolutely nothing and worthless."
The shepherd took care of Anaxios. Trimmed him and molded the
branch. The shepherd made him into a strong staff which he would use to climb
steep mountains, and support him.
Anaxios flippantly jested, "Hah. I've had become useless to
the point of death. And now this man chooses to belittle me more. To use me as
his staff. Oh how cruel."
Anaxios later finds out the shepherd's name was Moses. Moses took
Anaxios everywhere he went.
One day, Moses went in a direction that Anaxios did not recognize.
For some time, Moses went further into the wilderness. Darker and deeper.
Anaxios asked, "Where are we going Moses? Why bother asking,
ha ha, I’m just a worthless stick.”
Eventually Anaxios saw a small glimmer of light. Moses went closer
and closer, Anaxios saw the light which became bigger and bigger.
"Ah… My time has come." Anaxios saw a sort of bush. Not
just any bush, but a burning bush. “I am now to be burned just like
brother Eritheia said. Oh Moses, how your long journey was to throw me into
that burning bush. You are cruel yet I should be thankful.”
But Moses did not throw him into the burning bush. The bush
started to call Moses. “Moses, Moses!”
And he said, “Here I am.” (Exodus 3:4b)
Anaxios was perplexed, confused, surprised, and yet in fear, in
wonder. “What is this burning bush? How is it speaking? And what is this? I
feel a sense of great fear, but of peace at the same time.”
And the conversation continued. Anaxios finds out Moses was an
outcast. An outcast from a faraway land called Eygpt? Is that where he came
from? Eygpt. How in the eyes of everyone he was something, of royalty, but
turned into nothing when he murdered someone? Yet this burning bush said that
he would use Moses to save his people. Save them from what?
“Oh how you and I are the same, Moses. Moses I did not know.”
Anaxios commented.
Moses anxiously said to burning bush, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your
fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I
say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the
people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:13,14)
“I AM. This burning bush. His name is I AM…” Anaxios wondered,
“What authority. What power. What presence.”
The next thing Anaxios felt was a strong surge of energy – a new
motivation, newfound purpose and a great sense of enthusiasm. “I must help
Moses, but how can I help? I cannot yield fruit, yet Moses has made me into a
staff. I shall continue to be a staff for Moses. Yes, that’s what I shall
become.”
However, Moses hesitated, “But
behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice…”
“What is that in your hand?” The Great I AM said.
“Is he pointing to me?” Anaxios questioned. “Wait, what?”
Moses answered, “A staff.”
“Throw it on the ground.” The Great I AM said.
Anaxios screamed, “NO! Anything but that! Please Moses DO NOT cast
me out. Do not! I don’t want to be reminded! DO NOT-”
So he threw it on the ground, and it
became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. (Exodus 4:1-3)
“What…? What have I become?” Anaxios wondered in awe. “Have I
become a snake?” For awhile, Anaxios wandered about slithering on the ground,
in awe of what he has become. Perplexed, Anaxios saw Moses in the corner
hiding.
“Oh what wonder! How a man, Moses, fearing me. A stick! Now a
snake!”
The Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand
and catch it by the tail.” – so he put out his hand, reached out for Anaxios by the tail, and
caught it, and it became a staff in his hand – “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God
of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” (Exodus
4:5)
“I became a stick again. This Great I AM, He is God. A God
throughout many generations. A God who made the heavens and the earth. A God
who made my family… even me? He created me? And he’s going to be with Moses to
save his people.”
“…And take in your hand this staff, with
which you shall do the signs.” (Exodus 4:17) God said.
“I shall be of more use not only to Moses but also to God? Oh how
I do not deserve such position. Such honor…”
“And to you Anaxios.” God said.
Great fear and trembling bestowed Anaxios. “Me? Are you speaking to
me my Lord?”
“Yes Anaxios. You shall do signs! You shall support Moses. He
shall be your instrument and you shall be my instrument. You shall split the
seas to save my people. You shall break open rocks to pour forth water for my
people. You shall be my staff.”
“Oh God! Why me? I a wretched… I’m just a stick! I have no fruit.
I have of no use. Why God why me?”
“I have seen your
afflictions and have heard your cry. I know your sufferings. (Exodus 3:7)
Your name shall no longer be called Anaxios, but Axios for you are suitable for
this mission and you shall do great things.”
Anaxios in tears of joy, “Oh mighty God, great are your ways and
deeds! Oh my soul shall exalt your name! Yes! Send me! I shall be your staff
for Moses! Use me! Send me your servant!
… My heart and soul praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully
made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. (Psalm 139:14) I
was lost but now I’m found…”
/// END ///
Anaxios, Eritheia, and Axios are all Greek words.