It takes time and a lot of seasons for a great tree to realize its true dimensions. From that vantage point, it tells us stories—stories not only of joy but also those that contain pain. As the seasons change, the tree changes as well; it rejoices with spring, tempers with summer, wizens with autumn and quietens with the winter. This process of watching the tree as it accepts, embodies and reflects every season and learns from it is the very alchemy of Zen.

All of us have grown up listening to stories from this tree of life. The esoteric becomes real in the telling and retelling of stories. It is these stories that teach us that happiness is not found in seeking out extraordinary experiences but in examining our life closely, in reflecting on our experiences and in becoming more cognizant of our surroundings—just like the tree.

This is a book of little stories and anecdotal experiences, which pull us out of our hectic schedules and help us discover a moment of Zen in our own lives.