My Tree

Whenever I drove past that exit now, it was merely a sign board. The joy of taking that exit had eloped. It created a void. Every time I saw that sign, I had a sinking feeling. As if an important part of my life had been stolen.

I sat under the tree that I watched growing up. We both grew together except it felt like it had world’s wisdom, and I was learning a bit hard way.

I had seen the tree in every season in its full glory. My affinity had grown toward it by watching it through my bedroom window. In the summertime, its green leaf canopy rested as a huge crown would make every tree jealous on the street. In the fall, it would be the last tree to shed its golden yellow leaves as if its pride wouldn’t let it go of the leaves. In the spring, it had the most beautiful flowers that sparkled under the bright sun. The entire tree would be blanketed in white flowers creating the most stunning shade for the grass at its feet. On stormy nights, I’ve watched it dance. Million leaves dancing together all in unison yet having their own steps. The moon light flickering on its wet shiny bark would display an intricately woven piece.

Sometimes I would stare at it and ask an incredibly hard YES or NO life question, and it would simply give me an answer. YES would be a nod with the wind. The leaves would flutter and the branches swung – sometimes strongly and sometimes not so much. It gave me great joy that nature took time to answer. Sometimes, it would just stand still – not a single leaf quivering. It was an indication of a strict NO.

I’ve had shared my first kiss with it, my graduation, my first job, my first pay and so much more. I had poured my heart out whenever I had found myself in trouble. It had always comforted me by giving me a huge hug with those majestic branches even when it saw my tears through the glass window. It had wept with me. As if it were a clairvoyant, sometimes, it would make the birds sing just to cheer me up.

I didn’t like its answer of NO always. At times, I would be mad at it, but how can you be mad at such a loving, giving being for long who unconditionally had kept giving without you even asking for it. My bond had grown so much that sometimes I would just tell it to leave me alone, but it wouldn’t listen. It will create a magical scene with the shadow of dancing leaves and branches on my walls and table. Telling me to cheer up and move forward.

It weathered all the seasons standing alone, smiling, all-giving. I always wondered how I could learn from this tree to be so unselfish.

After all these years, when I sat down under it, all the emotions hit me. They punched me in my gut and tears came out gushing. When my family moved to another location, a part of me remained with the tree. Another family lived there now. The Green Grove Boulevard was mere a sign board on the highway which used to be my home.

Just as I was pondering, something touched my shoulder. I came out of my lost thoughts. The wind had blown the small swing with a wooden plank and a rope that was tied to its strong branch. It just nudged me. My tree recognized me and still knew my feelings. I stood up and touched the trunk.

A kid came out, stared at me for a moment, and finally said that I could swing on his swing. I smiled and nodded. I took a seat and a refreshing gush of wind swept around me. I was still learning from my tree!