Circles of Life

By Happy Hobbit

Long years I have stood; slowly learning the ways of the world. I am old even among those of my own kind. When I found her lying in the dark, my caress soothed her, poor frightened little soul. Lost and alone, I could not leave her there. There was no way she could tell me who she was and yet I determined she was once a bright young thing. Who knows how long she had lain lost, uncared for?

I drew her into me, embracing her, trying to show her that there was something more than this endless darkness she had come to dread. With time and my efforts I could lift her up so she would stand once more in the suns light. She accepted my offer. Slowly I grew to know her, to understand her, she became a part of me and we grew together. Like all young ones she was hasty. Unable to keep from rushing forward she brought new youth to my old limbs.

For her I grew anew. Woken from long slumber, the spring’s first bright rays dancing on my once weary limbs. I stretched up to enjoy its soft caress and she laughed sending delightful shivers through me. I could feel her joy, she was waiting, but I had to hold her back, for these were still the very first days. I feared if she went too soon I might lose her to the cruel winter nights.

She resented the wait; her desperation to be free was painful to see. But soon ... soon. Finally it happened; it was a bright spring morning, the song of blackbird echoed through the woods. Slowly very slowly I brought her forward revealing the new day to her. Her laughter was infectious and I could not help but join in. She loved the day. At each dawn she would wake early to dance in the warm breeze. I’d watch her remembering my own joy at spring’s coming.

Slowly things changed, she began to fade and I worried for her. What had happened to quench this once bright light? She told me in soft whispers, she did not want to leave me, desperately she clung to me, fear in her once more. “You need not go.” I told her,”Stay and take you time to develop. Learn what I can teach you and only when you are ready will I let you go.”

"That will be never.” She told me, but I knew the day would come. Until it did I would do all I could to teach her and help her develop. Summer came; she grew slowly, each day learning new things, things that I had almost forgotten. I struggled to remember them. She absorbed them eagerly, her thirst unabated. Growing in confidence I knew the time was coming for her to go.

She had again the bright joy of living in her face, the sweet smell of success hung about her; she was so wonderful it would not be long now. Then it happened, I awoke one morning to find she had left. I cursed myself for having slept longer than I had meant too, but then on reflection it was better that way for her parting would have been painful to me. I looked for her but she was hidden from me. My own caring I lay as a blanket over the land. In some small way I hoped it would reach her and comfort her in the days ahead.

When winters chill came I withdrew. Back into my own small world away from all hurts and sorrows. I slept, knowing that as ever the great circle would begin again that I would waken one morning to the first rays of spring sunshine. Whilst I slept I would dream of her and the way she had renewed me.

I opened my eyes, the bright spring light blinding me. As I stood squinting, I allowed its warmth to waken stiff limbs that I had held rigid for far too long. I remembered finding her in the darkness and for one brief moment I felt great sorrow. But it did not last for as my eyesight cleared I saw her, standing in the suns light, and I smiled for I knew I had at last kept my promise to her.

From the decaying carcass at my roots I had raised her up and as a bud shown her the light. Protecting her I waited until winters chill had passed and then as she grew to a blossom I had witnessed her joy at her first spring dance. She faded, as all flowers do, I worried but she did not leave me for she grew into a small nut that over the summer fattened and ripened until at last in the first frosts of autumn she fell. She lay hidden beneath the soft mantle of my multi coloured leaves. This however was not the end, for as winter passed she grew and now stood as a new sapling in the first light of spring.