It is a truly gigantic tree.
The full proportions of it are not known. It is believed to have been in existence for all time. It seems that the specific nature of it has never been fully understood. Its origin and purpose are shrouded in mystery. The true nature of it has always been of great interest to the few and of little real interest to the many. All the way up from the unseen roots to a sturdy trunk, it breaks off into a myriad of branches, that themselves split away into countless small pieces, and then into Immeasurable tinier pieces still, finishing somewhere with a minuscule, forked twig. At this, a most singular fork, a divergence of two paths come about.
One direction, leads to a newborn lying on straw or cloth in a hut built with strips of wood and poles, with pieces of tin as cover. It is in a settlement, in a slum. The slum is in one of the poorest and hungriest countries in the world that is densely populated and has a history of genocide and ongoing civil wars. Within this environment of political violence and conflict, women and children, being the most vulnerable section of the population, so often need to flee from the violence. Natural disasters such as torrential rains, strong winds and floods are also known to cause its inhabitants to be displaced.
The other direction leads to a newborn snuggled in an expensive crib in a modern, air-conditioned home in a leafy suburb in one of the world’s wealthiest countries. It is considered to be one of the safest countries in the world. It’s a place without wars or ongoing political violence. Compared with many other countries, it has a lower rate of homicides, violent crimes, physical assaults and muggings. Its people are friendly and sociable, living within a laid-back culture. It is a stable society that offers a high quality of life. It has a strong economy with a good social security system. There is free health care and education with many good universities. It has safe, clean public transport. It also has an enjoyable outdoor lifestyle. It is generally pollution free, with good air quality and a temperate climate. It is a place where life expectancy is above average.
The nature of that which determines the direction taken from the fork would seem to be completely unknowable.