by Emily C. Jones and Lex Jones.

Download the story as a pdf.

It is said that trees of justice grow everywhere love is present. So how is this special kind of tree different from an ordinary tree?

Well, there is always a heart in its center. This emerges from within the tree and represents the very essence of the tree itself love! Love is the pulse of all the values the tree represents.

The tree is known for its many values. One of those is easy to see – generosity. The tree is generous with everything it has. It shares its shade with anyone who needs a cool place to rest. It shares its acorns with the squirrels. It shares its branches with the birds and the children who like to climb it.

It shares its swings.

The tree has two swings. These are no ordinary swings. Being a tree of equity, the swings can raise and lower so that anyone can enjoy them. Being a tree of justice, the tree is strong and balanced. It even has knots and twists from the places where it was stressed but kept growing.

There are many places to explore around the base of the tree and from its many branches. Each root and branch offers a different point of view. This is pluralism — the ability to hold many views at once.

The tree doesn’t exist alone. It is dependent on the earth beneath it to hold its roots. It depends on the sun and the rain. In turn, it is needed by the animals and insects who live in and around it. This is called interdependence.

Every season, the tree of justice looks different. Sometimes it is green and growing. Sometimes it is colorful and regenerating. And sometimes it is waiting, saving energy to make its next big move. No matter what the tree looks like, it is always changing to prepare for its next stage of becoming. This is called transformation. Transformation, Justice, Generosity, Equity, Love, Interdependence, and Pluralism are our Unitarian Universalist values.