Chapter 56 - The Lesson of the Ash
Months later, the first heavy rains of the autumn season finally fell over the valley.
Ramón walked out into the northern orchard with Julian.
The young man was looking sadly at a few of the older apple trees that had been badly scorched by the radiant heat of the fire.
"They look dead, Grandpa,"
Julian murmured, touching the blackened bark.
Ramón smiled gently, pulling a small pocket knife from his faded jeans. He carefully scraped away a tiny layer of the charred, black bark.
Beneath the black ash, a bright, vibrant, pulsing layer of green wood was visible.
"The fire burns the surface, Julian,"
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Ramón explained, his deep voice carrying the absolute wisdom of a lifetime.
"But the ash it leaves behind is the greatest fertilizer in the world. It nourishes the soil. Next spring, these trees will bloom more violently and beautifully than they ever have before. We do not fear the fire. We use it to grow stronger."
