Aloha George, this one to me is filled with longing while waiting for that all important answer that we tell ourselves will come, one day. Something I think many of us can relate to and where many of us have been and still are. Excellent! alisa ;-)

what a picture you paint, George. as for me, give me trees and not replies. I would rather have one tree in my garden which I can always trust to grow virtuous and alive, than receive a thousand replies which may never arrive, and if they did, would not be as virtuous but rather have a tendency to mislead, for reasons that replies can sweet talk you, as opposed to tree which are always telling the truth no matter how harsh. what I have discovered about trees as opposed to replies, is that at least with trees I can trust that in their growing they are always rooted and always ringing true, whereas I can never trust a reply to be as rooted or virtuous, therefore always lacking in leaves to grow and fall and burn like your great metaphor in the end.