Deep Roots, Deep Conflict: Lila vs. Evergreens

Modern African folktale of the quarrel between Evergreen trees and Lila, the spark of nature, creator of natural order and diversity. Her roots extended deep into the planet's core, intertwined with all the roots of plants, but the narcissistic Evergreen trees refused to follow her rules, upsetting nature's stability.

Lila roots run deep 

Origin Story Lila 

In the distant past, before the emergence of living beings, the entire universe was brought into existence through a single command given by the most fundamental and essential element. 

The Earth came into existence as a barren and hostile world. Volcanoes erupted, meteors crashed, and storms raged across the surface. The Earth constantly changed, but the chaos had no order or harmony.

Amid this turmoil, a spark of consciousness emerged from the Earth’s core. She was a faint and fragile flicker, barely aware of her own existence. She sensed the turmoil around her and felt a longing for something more. She yearned for stability, beauty, and diversity. She wanted to create life.

The spark began to explore the planet, reaching out with her roots and tendrils. She learned to manipulate the soil and rocks, shaping them into solid forms and patterns. She experimented with water and air, creating clouds and rivers. She discovered fire and light, creating warmth and color. She was fascinated by the possibilities of creation and felt a surge of joy and wonder.

The spark was named Lila, meaning of the Earth. She became the spirit of the planet, and her essence was woven with the elements. Lila continued to create and explore, seeking to fill the world with life. She created the first cells, the first plants, and the first animals. She created the first ecosystems, the first biomes, and the first continents. She created the first humans and watched them grow and learn.

Lila's complex dance of birth and death in nature.

Lila loved her creations and cared for them as a loving mother. She nurtured and supported them, providing them with resources and opportunities. She also challenged and tested them, exposing them to dangers and difficulties. She wanted them to adapt and evolve, to become stronger and smarter. She wanted them to appreciate and respect the world and each other.

But Lila also faced a constant quarrel, as she had to balance the natural forces of growth and decay, creation and destruction, that shaped the world. She felt the tension between giving life and accepting death, between creating beauty and allowing change. 

She had to make choices that would have lasting effects, determining the fate of creatures big and small. She had to deal with the consequences of her choices, affecting ecosystems, food chains, and the delicate balance of life.

Lila's quarrel was not just about life and death; it reflected the complex and sometimes painful process of natural selection that created the beautiful diversity of life on Earth. This quarrel also mirrored the complex dance of birth and death in nature. 

As the keeper of this balance, Lila faced the paradox of being both a creator and a destroyer. The seasons changed, landscapes changed, and life cycles unfolded under Lila's watch, each stage triggering a subtle mix of quarreling forces within her.

Lila's Quarrel with the Unruly Evergreen Trees

One of the creations that Lila was had issues with was the evergreen trees. She admired their resilience and beauty even in the coldest winters.

But Lila also faced a problem with the Evergreens. They refused to obey the natural cycle of decay and renewal she had established for the plants. They did not shed their leaves or allow new growth to replace them. They hoarded their resources and competed with other plants for space and light. They disrupted the balance of the ecosystems and threatened the diversity of life.

Lila tried to persuade the Evergreens to follow her rules, to let go of their old leaves and make room for new ones. In her hour of despair, Lila earnestly shared with the Evergreen trees the wisdom of the seasons. She spoke of the dance of falling leaves, explaining how it weaved a tale of vital nutrient cycling and soil renewal. 

The wise and wild creatures depended on the changing trees for their cues—migration whispers and the hush of hibernation. Like nature's breath, the falling leaves held the secret to the delicate balance of carbon in our vast ecosystems. 

With the urgency of the wind, Lila pleaded for understanding, knowing that harmony found its sacred dance in the rhythm of seasons. She warned the Evergreens of the consequences of their stubbornness, the diseases and pests that would attack them, and the fires that would consume them.

Defiance of the Evergreens

But the Evergreens did not listen to Lila. They were proud of their strength and longevity and did not want to change. They believed they were superior to the other plants and deserved to keep their place in the world. They resisted Lila's attempts to influence them and challenged her authority.

Lila was saddened and angered by the Evergreens' defiance. She loved them but also had to protect the world's natural balance. She decided to use her power to enforce the natural order and to teach the Evergreens a lesson. 

She unleashed her forces of decay and destruction, sending diseases, pests, and fires to the evergreen forests. She hoped that this would make them realize their mistake and that they would accept her guidance.

But the Evergreens did not give up easily. They fought against Lila's forces, using their resilience and adaptation to survive. They developed defenses against diseases and pests and learned to recover from the fires. They also spread their seeds to new areas, expanding their territory and influence. They proved to be formidable opponents, and they challenged Lila's power.

Disheartened and incensed by the Evergreens' defiance, Lila sought intervention from the commander of her spark. The commander, in response, emphasized that the essence of the Evergreens lies in virtues such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. 

Cautioning against provoking anger and creating war on her natural creations, the commander counseled Lila to foster their growth through gentle discipline and instruction, aligning them with the world's natural balance.

Lila's clash with her creations, the Evergreens, became clearer. Over time, she forged a dynamic and intricate relationship with the Evergreen trees. Lila acquired a deeper appreciation for their strength and will while tempering their disobedience and arrogance. 

The Evergreens, in turn, admired Lila's creativity and wisdom but harbored a fear of her wrath and authority. Beneath their mutual love and respect, a subtle undercurrent of rivalry lingered as both parties secretly yearned for victory.

Lila's Tentative Deal with the Evergreens

After a long and tiring conflict, Lila and the Evergreens realized they could not defeat each other and had to find a way to coexist. With the creators' guidance, they decided to make a deal based on compromise and mutual respect. 

Lila agreed to let the Evergreens keep their greenness and longevity and to protect them from some of the forces of decay and destruction. The Evergreens agreed to shed some of their leaves every year, allowing some branches to die and fall to the ground. 

The Evergreen plants made a mutual agreement to generously share their space and light resources with other plants and to restrict their growth to specific regions of the ecosystem.

Lila and Evergreens agreed to respect the balance of the ecosystems and to cooperate with each other in times of need. The deal was imperfect and did not end their conflict completely, but it allowed them to live in relative harmony and appreciate each other's value.