Seeds of Love and Hate

Inside of each one of us there are two tiny seeds
And with each day that passes, one of them we feed
When we are children, we don't have much say
Our surroundings determine the growth it goes which way

As we age, seeds sprout to trees
Steered by our thoughts and interactions
The trees grow together, tiny branches intertwined
Until there’s no room left, because they are confined

Along the way some notice their trees aren't predetermined
Proper tools and patience can trim unhealthy branches
As hate is pruned away there’s more room for love to grow
But, alas, it goes both ways; it’s in your control

The longer the tree of hate is fed
The more tools we need to cut it down
We cannot ignore it because it takes up space
Even when it’s dead the skeleton remains

Although it may be difficult requiring sweat and tears
I believe it’s never too late to learn to trim your trees
It’s worth the work to nurture love and prune the hate away
Nobody said it would be easy; the key is you must believe

Each person is responsible for which tree takes over
Can’t force new tools on someone if they won’t learn to use them
So worry about your trees; find a balance you can live with
Seek out new tools if you need them; the resources exist

Addendum:
If you lose control of your dark tree and its thorns make you bleed
Bandages won’t trim the branches; relief is temporary
If the pressure is not released in time and pain becomes too much
The hope for love can die in shadows; it can seem there’s no way out

Even if given love from others, sometimes it’s just too late
If hope is lost, not much can be done, and no one person is to blame
Be kind to each person you meet; at the root of all anger is pain
Just one kind word may help someone see the light again