Ashley and the Tree of Knowledge

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce our special guest for this evening, Ashley," Professor Vick says, introducing his guest to open his grand presentation for the solidarity movement.
Ashley then approaches the podium.
"Thank you, thank you so much for that grand invitation. When I look back over my life, I see the mistakes that I've made. I often think about all of the people that have let me down, but today is a special day, because I look back and I see a brighter future ahead. I want to first let you all know how grateful I am to be on this stage, but I'm not going to lie to you, I wish I lived in a country that was simple, but it's not. The people here are so driven by money and achievement that we've forgotten the simplicity of living. I've stayed in one spot for practically my whole life. I've seen men and women stab each other in the back just to hear the words, 'good job.' On my journey, I've often found myself afraid of death. I've often found myself in a paranoid state of mind because I don't know who to trust. I honestly feel that we've lost touch with reality, and if we...as a united nation, don't go back to the fundamentals of living, fast, we will not only kill the future, but we will destroy the basic concept of human nature. In empathy, I see women who are alone. I see women who have to abort their children because they want a better life. I see men who have to sit alone in front of a computer because they don't have a wife at home. I see people raging to get their ideas noticed to feed their families. I also see women having to sell their bodies for sex, just to eat. If people would die to get into a nation that is driven by those who use time to progress their own agendas, then I wonder what the true purpose of life is. I look at my children with no father at home...I don't know who to blame. I often wonder about my family and their addictions...I don't know who to blame. Who do we blame? Should we blame ourselves? In my alone time, I cry because I really do feel that the weak have been led astray. I believe that we as a people don't know who to follow so we often turn to darkness because we're afraid of those in the light. This holiday season, I will be alone with my children and my diplomas and I honestly believe that fear of failure has turned me into a maniac. I honestly believe that those plotting on my meal have made me into an ambitious machine. I'm an animal, and my thirst for knowledge has lead me to see the truth in mankind. And when they too find the truth, they will have sympathy for those who don't know. In my closing statements, I want to end by saying that the truth is far greater than the lies that we've been led to believe. I wish you all the best on your journey to the tree of knowledge, and when you find the answers you will look back and see a field of bodies that have been led astray. May God bless you all."
In ahh of her speech, Professor Vick approaches the podium as the crowd of students and advisors absorbs her message.
"Well, thank you Ashley for that amazing testimony. Let us all give Ashley a warm hand for that enlightening speech of what we must do in our quest for knowledge. I hope you all noticed that we came into the building with no violence or metal detectors at the door. We trust one another. We are free and we now welcome Ashley into our family."
As everyone gathered around to welcome Ashley into the solidarity movement she noticed one of her old boyfriends entering from afar. Exiting the stage, her fear had again started to take ahold of her and her past enraged her thoughts as he began to shout.
"Ashley, I still love you. Ashley, I still love you."
Realizing that he was unworthy of her, at least at the moment, she entertained the crowd as security took him out.
This is what life is like for those who better themselves. This is what Ashley feared the most. Now that Ashley had become something profitable to the mass amounts of people that followed her, no matter what she did, a world of trouble still awaited her outside of the gates of knowledge...
"For she had been named after a tree in a garden with the tree of knowledge and now that she had become enlightened, there was no turning back, for she alone chose this path. For she alone chose to partake of the tree of knowledge."
Ashley