After several days of winter thunder, I finally got the glimpse of hot sun. The warm sunlight peeped through the clouds giving a soothing warm feeling. The Kelly-green color of my leaves were turning into the shades of neon. The bole was shining like gold. The branches were stretching themselves as they woke up from an elongated sleep. Oh! I must exclaim I was looking more beautiful today.
I have the widest bole with extended branches densely covered with leaves. And, I am deep under the soil with my roots, that strengthen me. Also, I know others are envious of me and they should be. Although everyone in this jungle knows, I am the predominant one here. I had more number of travelers sitting under my shade, when the sun performs his best and when the cloud cries loud. I like to play hide and seek with the travelers sitting under me, I move the branches from slight left to slight right to give them, the sunrays and shade alternatively.
I remember those days when I was like an adolescent in this enormous jungle. I had the dream of being the biggest tree of the jungle. I nourished my dream for countless years and today I am here, established. I was happier than ever.
But, somewhere my happiness was getting measured. It was a bad day either. As soon as the morning sun made me brighter, as soon as I was in the eye of others, it ended too.
Before the mid of the day, a group of loggers came to jungle and I was the selected one. They had their logging tools to tear my joy, break my dreams, cut my hopes, and joggle my strength. I saw my neon shaded leaves converting into moss, and scattering on the muddy ground. I was crying, shouting for help, but a tree, a strong big tree like me cannot even save itself in this world of humans. One by one, my branches were cut into pieces. Long branches were stacked together; small twigs were left disseminated, leaves crushed under their feet, and my heart wept on my demolition.
And they left, they went with my branches leaving me behind as a bare bole. I kept staring the path they were going from. I kept weeping for the loss I faced today. I kept wondering I am not the largest tree of the jungle anymore. Bereft of leaves, I am a standing snag.
Days passed and night’s cold breeze killed me almost every time. Waiting for a hope of life again, a leaf, a twig, a new branch. I was impatiently waiting to be green again and emerge out of my deserted existence. But, with every morning my optimism was fading out. I see my regular passersby sitting under different trees. I can see the envy in others’ eyes has been turned into mock and pity. I am a loner.
I am not able to count days, but definitely, I have seen all of the four seasons, and the summer is back again. And, I am still a snag, almost a dead tree.
That evening, sun was about to leave the sky, making it red in color. I was trying to feel its losing existence. But it does have a hope of coming back tomorrow again, where I have been lacking now. Suddenly, I feel something tickling behind me. I turned back, and I saw some green. Oh! Is it what I saw, I wasn’t able to hold my excitement. I turned back again to have a close look. Yes, it’s a leaf. A tiny little leaf, in chartreuse color. I can’t believe, but it’s true. Sun left the sky and moonlight didn’t help me, have the glimpse of new leaf again and again. But, what I can see was that, I am going to be the biggest tree of this jungle again. This one leaf, will be the first step and soon I will be shining.
I earnestly held the fire till dawn, the moment first-light peeped in, I turned back to have the sight of my new baby leaf. I tracked the trail of its existence. Ah-oh, the twig this leaf belongs to is attached to a small, thin, wobbly plant. Oh! this is not possible, I must re-check, I did, but yes, it was. My dreams were broken again. It wasn’t my leaf, it belongs to that tree, the tree which is smiling at me. It must be making fun of me. I turned my back towards it. But wouldn’t hold my sorrow, I cried once again. I died once again.
But then again, the leaf kept on touching and tickling my bole. In days, its branches stretched, and some more leaves came for the company. These leaves played and giggled, whole day, backing on my trunk. I was getting annoyed. I am not a play area for these tiny giggling greeneries. How can they sit and play on me?
It was now a day to day practice, making me irate. I glowered at the tree, but it did smile back. This young little tree was making fun of me, while sitting on my bole. I can't take this, I need to revert back, push it hard with my full strength, and give aback what it deserves. I can definitely pull my roots and fall on this precarious young tree. The weight of my dead bole can decease it. Nonetheless, I am a dying tree, I am of no use, standing with no leaves, no branches, no life since long. There will be no harm to me, despite of it will be demolished. I did have made up my mind.
Let the sun be down, let all the trees be asleep, let this young one slumber and I will hit it. I was staring at sun, anticipating for its disappearance. Suddenly, I heard a diffident and stammering voice.
“Dear patriarch, I have always been fascinated to see you, I always wanted to grow like you, to be the biggest one in this jungle. But, my stem is not as strong as it should be, my branches are growing but my stem is not able to hold the weight of my branches. Sir, if you won’t mind it, can I have the support of your big, strong bole? My branches can sit on you, and grow. My leaves will soon nurture me and my roots, and I will be strong enough to hold the weight of my branches. Till then, please do allow me to be dependent on you.”
Oh! I can see the same dream in its eyes, which used to be mine. Is it asking for my support, my favor, or still amusing me? No, I sense the truth in its voice, its feelings seem to be prudent. It’s not bluffing with me. But, why do I help it. What will I gain out of it? I had already planned to thrash it tonight. I must stick to my plan. But what do I benefit if it falls although? I was muddled in my thoughts; the stumbling voice came again.
“Don’t you think so, Sir?”
“Umm… you can, my dear child, and some day you will be the prevalent one. My blessings with you.”
Surely, that day I felt the life again, I started living with that young tree, and it was following my dream.
I have the widest bole with extended branches densely covered with leaves. And, I am deep under the soil with my roots, that strengthen me. Also, I know others are envious of me and they should be. Although everyone in this jungle knows, I am the predominant one here. I had more number of travelers sitting under my shade, when the sun performs his best and when the cloud cries loud. I like to play hide and seek with the travelers sitting under me, I move the branches from slight left to slight right to give them, the sunrays and shade alternatively.
I remember those days when I was like an adolescent in this enormous jungle. I had the dream of being the biggest tree of the jungle. I nourished my dream for countless years and today I am here, established. I was happier than ever.
But, somewhere my happiness was getting measured. It was a bad day either. As soon as the morning sun made me brighter, as soon as I was in the eye of others, it ended too.
Before the mid of the day, a group of loggers came to jungle and I was the selected one. They had their logging tools to tear my joy, break my dreams, cut my hopes, and joggle my strength. I saw my neon shaded leaves converting into moss, and scattering on the muddy ground. I was crying, shouting for help, but a tree, a strong big tree like me cannot even save itself in this world of humans. One by one, my branches were cut into pieces. Long branches were stacked together; small twigs were left disseminated, leaves crushed under their feet, and my heart wept on my demolition.
And they left, they went with my branches leaving me behind as a bare bole. I kept staring the path they were going from. I kept weeping for the loss I faced today. I kept wondering I am not the largest tree of the jungle anymore. Bereft of leaves, I am a standing snag.
Days passed and night’s cold breeze killed me almost every time. Waiting for a hope of life again, a leaf, a twig, a new branch. I was impatiently waiting to be green again and emerge out of my deserted existence. But, with every morning my optimism was fading out. I see my regular passersby sitting under different trees. I can see the envy in others’ eyes has been turned into mock and pity. I am a loner.
I am not able to count days, but definitely, I have seen all of the four seasons, and the summer is back again. And, I am still a snag, almost a dead tree.
That evening, sun was about to leave the sky, making it red in color. I was trying to feel its losing existence. But it does have a hope of coming back tomorrow again, where I have been lacking now. Suddenly, I feel something tickling behind me. I turned back, and I saw some green. Oh! Is it what I saw, I wasn’t able to hold my excitement. I turned back again to have a close look. Yes, it’s a leaf. A tiny little leaf, in chartreuse color. I can’t believe, but it’s true. Sun left the sky and moonlight didn’t help me, have the glimpse of new leaf again and again. But, what I can see was that, I am going to be the biggest tree of this jungle again. This one leaf, will be the first step and soon I will be shining.
I earnestly held the fire till dawn, the moment first-light peeped in, I turned back to have the sight of my new baby leaf. I tracked the trail of its existence. Ah-oh, the twig this leaf belongs to is attached to a small, thin, wobbly plant. Oh! this is not possible, I must re-check, I did, but yes, it was. My dreams were broken again. It wasn’t my leaf, it belongs to that tree, the tree which is smiling at me. It must be making fun of me. I turned my back towards it. But wouldn’t hold my sorrow, I cried once again. I died once again.
But then again, the leaf kept on touching and tickling my bole. In days, its branches stretched, and some more leaves came for the company. These leaves played and giggled, whole day, backing on my trunk. I was getting annoyed. I am not a play area for these tiny giggling greeneries. How can they sit and play on me?
It was now a day to day practice, making me irate. I glowered at the tree, but it did smile back. This young little tree was making fun of me, while sitting on my bole. I can't take this, I need to revert back, push it hard with my full strength, and give aback what it deserves. I can definitely pull my roots and fall on this precarious young tree. The weight of my dead bole can decease it. Nonetheless, I am a dying tree, I am of no use, standing with no leaves, no branches, no life since long. There will be no harm to me, despite of it will be demolished. I did have made up my mind.
Let the sun be down, let all the trees be asleep, let this young one slumber and I will hit it. I was staring at sun, anticipating for its disappearance. Suddenly, I heard a diffident and stammering voice.
“Dear patriarch, I have always been fascinated to see you, I always wanted to grow like you, to be the biggest one in this jungle. But, my stem is not as strong as it should be, my branches are growing but my stem is not able to hold the weight of my branches. Sir, if you won’t mind it, can I have the support of your big, strong bole? My branches can sit on you, and grow. My leaves will soon nurture me and my roots, and I will be strong enough to hold the weight of my branches. Till then, please do allow me to be dependent on you.”
Oh! I can see the same dream in its eyes, which used to be mine. Is it asking for my support, my favor, or still amusing me? No, I sense the truth in its voice, its feelings seem to be prudent. It’s not bluffing with me. But, why do I help it. What will I gain out of it? I had already planned to thrash it tonight. I must stick to my plan. But what do I benefit if it falls although? I was muddled in my thoughts; the stumbling voice came again.
“Don’t you think so, Sir?”
“Umm… you can, my dear child, and some day you will be the prevalent one. My blessings with you.”
Surely, that day I felt the life again, I started living with that young tree, and it was following my dream.
