(prompt: 'relative' May 7, 2021)

"Just a weed seed?" said the tree, so kindly, and smiled,

"Oh no, not to me," as he bent with great creaking and groaning

that somehow seemed to be an ordinary thing

for an extraordinary old man tree to do...

certainly in the eyes of one young boy,

dwarfed and humbled by this veteran of countless seasons.

When you're small, so very, very young,

eyes filled with wonder and belief in SO much more than

heaven and earth can reveal...

then and only then, can you see the kindly ancient face

with 'hair' branches rising high above,

filled with chattering squirrels. twittering birds,

fluffy bunnies and a friendly fox far below,

and know without doubt, we are ALL related;

even the humblest weed, even the oldest tree.

ALL of us.

"Me too? Me too? Can I be a rellie, too?"

One great side branch bends forward –

an arm, offering a simple, full blown milkweed thistle.

"Only if you Make a wish as you blow on this, my boy,"

says the tree and his eyes twinkle,star-like.

"And each floaty seed will take your wish on the breeze,

on the wings of floating thistle fairies, on high,

on their way to Santa at the North Pole.

He catches them all year round you see,

granting some through the year, for you and for me."

And the small boy waited, with not too many jumps,

up and down,

up and down.

Waited for the exact right breeze, and when it finally came,

wished and blew, waving and saying,

"Bye bye floaty fairy... fly away home."

The Tree swayed gently from side to side.

'Be always kind and be always free,' smiled the Tree...

and the tiny birds added their chorus...

"Be free, be free... Like me, like me."

And the small boy touched the ancient one in wonder,

and saw the squirrels, and the bunny, and the fox,

smile and wave

as he skipped joyfully to his home far away,

happy and proud of his wish for this most excellent Earth Day.