If We Were All Trees

All our life we had to struggle

From our past to our present

Right from birth we had competition

I started out as a little acorn

Born premature three months early

I had a fifty /fifty chance I was going to make it

It took along time for me to seed

I lay on top of the ground for months

Wondering if some squirrel will come along and pick me up

Only later to be his afternoon lunch

Luckily with the falling leaves I was able to hide

Then came the hikers who walk

Hey watch it

You can easily crush me with one step

The weather changed again with the wind came the rain

I now lay out in the open sun

My outside shell is tough enough or so I thought

Here come those pesky little ants trying to find one little opening

I lay still just like I do with other bugs

They become tired and leave

My friend next to me not so lucky

They made the way through a tiny crack

Now he is their home for seven

A full house

I am so lucky

One summer day I heard voices

A family was walking

They were off in a distance

Until the youngest little girl went running

Wouldn't you know she ran in my direction

Her mother told her to be careful

Sure enough she tripped on a tree root

Being a tree it takes years for our roots to grow and take hold

Growing strong and wide

The root she tripped on

It was my uncle Chet

He laughs a lot

He is so smart

Every day is so much fun

Now in his early fifties

Enjoying life and tells me every day is a picnic

So the next thing you know

The little girl trips and falls

Uncle Chet always did have big feet

The little girl starts crying

Her father quickly comes to her rescue

He has these big heavy boots

With one step I could be a gonner

The father helped his little girl up

She wiped her cute little tears from her eyes

What happened ?

I was running and I fell

All because of this acorn

Hey that's not what happened ?

I don't want to be a tattle tale

We know it was uncle Chet's fault

The girl stopped crying and she wiped her knees off

She had a little scrape

Her older brother Robert came over with their mother

I haven't seen this many people since the Boy Scouts a few years ago

Uncle Chet said there was the young couple who celebrated their fifteen year anniversary

They invited all their family and friends for an outdoor barbeque

What a time

They played country music , cooked ribs and chicken on the gas grill

Lots of corn and fresh strawberry short cake

I'm sorry

That was two years before you were born

After all these years

What a young and beautiful bride and a proud husband

Even though that had no children of their own

They had two nieces and three nephews

Some old enough to have kids of their own

The youngest Joseph always smiling and happy

Over the years the family has shrunk

There were cousins no uncles and three aunts

They told stories of when they were young

Their parents would have family party's ever year

No matter how busy life got

They always made time for each other

Now times are different

Everyone works

They had friends and co workers

I remember them dancing in the woods

They sprayed yard guard to cut down on the bugs

That was the year Aunt Mary was born

When uncle Chet gets talking

He can talk all night

So as the little girl hugged her mom

Her mom held her hand

The father out of know where said

Don't you think you should take this acorn

This is the one that made you trip and fall

We wouldn't want someone else to fall

The little girl smiled

She held me in her hand

Stuck me in her pocket next with some metal jacks and a ball, a lucky penny and a bracelet with the name Cami

Off she went

I waved a quick goodbye to Uncle Chet

He thought it was a good idea for me to travel and see the world

Home was beautiful in Massacusetts

Who knew I would move to Maine

I remember falling asleep in the car

I always love to take a nap

Mixed up with the dirty laundry

After being put through the wash once

I am really surprised I am still here

Left on her bureau for months

One day she took me out back in her beautiful yard and said

I have the perfect place for you

She dug a whole with a shovel taller than her

Planted me in the ground

Over looking the field

I look at the mountains and see the sun

I am a first to know when a storm is coming

She plants a garden every year

I see all kinds of vegetables

Lots and lots of tomatoes

Grass and flowers and a fish pond

Three blueberry bushes and a big white rose bush

I love it in the summer

She always comes outside in the early morning

She waters me first

Talks to me and tells me her plans

Then sometimes later in the afternoon

She sits under my leaves and says I give the best shade

Reads a favorite book or talks about her day

How lucky I am

To be not just any old tree

One picked out special

Not just by anyone

By a girl they call Cami