A Soul Revealed

Hello, my old friend!

How has life been treating you?

What’s wrong?

I can see your face:

Sad.

Lonely.

Downtrodden.

And yet,

You stand tall, proud, and strong,

Your leaves a bright, lustrous green.

There is so much beauty around you…

Why can I only see tears?

How many years have you stood here, alone?

My heart tells me it wasn’t always this way.

I know you were once happy,

Only a happy, joyful spirit can suffer such pain.

Looking beyond the emptiness,

I sense love all around you:

Sweet, pure, and unadulterated.

A forest of friends,

All united as Guardians of Nature.

The joyful, innocent laughter of the children,

Playing and climbing your sturdy branches.

Kindred spirits, they were.

Their hearts and souls were your life’s blood,

Your reason to be.

For them, you were a keeper and a protector,

Of dreams and memories of happiness and sorrow.

Your friends gave you life,

But your life nurtured and preserved their souls.

Once again,

I see so much light, peace, and love.

But I also feel your pain,

And know now that time has bullied and beat you.

It’s okay to cry, old friend…

I’m here to catch your tears now.

I see you.