One Cherry

A woman came into the shop one day with her daughter trailing behind her. The woman’s eye caught sight of a display of cherries that were on sale as advertised in the newspaper. Up to the table she went; and without even a second thought, she took one cherry and ate it, an act of thievery; although most would only call it an opportunity for free food. Her daughter, not knowing the act, asked her mother for one, but as not to get caught by an employee, the mother waved her finger to justify the deed for herself.

By and by her daughter had seen many other opportunities from her mother. In class, she was taking a test, yet there were three questions that were to difficult for her; and if missed, could result in a low score. The young man beside her was know as the school genius, and had the answers to those three difficult questions. Taking caution as not to be seen by the teacher, that little girl stole three answers, which to her was worth more than one cherry.

As time continued to pass, that little girl grew up to have three children of her own. Her youngest son, who had learned much from his mother and father, wanted to go eat with his friends on a summer afternoon. He had no money; for he didn’t do his chores that week, but his older brother did and had enough money to spare a meal. That young man, knowing his brother was out, went to his room. A twenty dollar bill was sitting on the dresser, and since his mother had shown him opportunities, he took one himself; stealing the twenty, which is worth more than three test questions and one cherry.

That young man, after receiving a beating from his brother, grew up and had a son. That boy grew up seeing his father’s opportunities, and when he was eighteen he decided to steal a car, which is worth more than a twenty dollar bill, three test questions, and that one cherry. He was convicted under the judicial system, serving five years in jail; but nonetheless, some woman was wooed by him and a child was born.

His daughter, after growing up, got involved with another wife’s husband. She destroyed an entire family with her thievery, and a family is worth more than a car; more than a twenty dollar bill; more than three test question, and more than a cherry.

Out of that adultery, a child was conceived. Her son grew up, finding himself one night at a party. There was much reveling, which led to a fight between him and another man over a woman. A gun was pulled from that young man’s coat. The other man stood terrified, pleading for his life, but the opportunity was there to steal the man’s life; and since other sins were making merry in that young man’s heart, he pulled the trigger. The bullet flew along with that man’s life. A man’s life is worth more than a broken family; more than that car; more than the twenty dollar bill; more than the three test questions, and of course, the cherry itself.

Every person has the choice to do what is wrong or right, but it is no so far fetched to understand that the murder of a man, the destruction of a family, the theft of a car, the stealing of money, and the cheating on a test all came from one cherry.