We have a gigantic oak tree in our backyard. It has lush green canopy and gives shade from the sun during the hot summer days. The children play in its shade, protected from the harsh sun. In the afternoon, the adult members of the family meet under its branches. They bring folding chairs, sit on them, and talk about topics ranging from current affairs to food recipes. The slanting sun rays provide warmth, and the breeze cools the area. Some of the group take a nap while others play poker.
Inside the house, it is hot and the fan rotates with all its might to make it cool, but it fails miserably. It is much cooler and more comfortable outside, and hence the exodus to the backyard. The tree gives shelter to many birds, squirrels, and other small animals, which make it their home. Birds build nests, lay eggs, and sit on them to provide warmth for the eggs to hatch. The squirrels make their home in the tiny holes in the tree trunk. Tired birds rest their wings, sitting on its branches. During summer there is tremendous activity on and under the tree as humans and animals find comfort in its shade.
Summer gives way to autumn, and the tree starts to change. Its green foliage changes its colour. They turn red, copper, yellow, purple, and brown. Late in autumn, the leaves bid farewell to the tree and join mother earth. The tree tries to hold on to them as long as possible, but nature wins every time. Even so, the oak slows down the departure of leaves till the end of autumn and sometimes into winter.
After the leaves abandon the tree, it stands alone like an unfinished skyscraper. The birds and animals leave and find safer places to spend the winter. Kids and adults no longer sit under it as it has nothing to offer them. This abandonment hurts the tree, but it has learned to survive the lonely phase of the year.
Winter brings snow, making the ground a white carpet. Almost nothing survives under the snow. The space around the tree looks like a graveyard. The tree, all alone, faces the winter with courage. Its branches become laden with snow, and the ice-cold winds make it shiver. Its only companions are snow, rain, and chilling snowstorms.
While the tree fights the cold alone, humans and animals live safely and comfortably in their chosen abodes. Inside the house, by the fireplace, the adults sit together discussing world affairs, drinking hot coffee or sipping whiskey. The kids eat cookies and drink hot chocolate. They are comfortably attired in woollen clothes and are not affected by the cold outside.
Winter passes and spring arrives. The snow melts and life start to bloom in the backyard. There is freshness in the air. Grass and small plants rise from the soil and start to grow. Plants bloom and blossom. Honeybees and hummingbirds come to drink the nectar from the flowers. People shed their woollen clothes and come out of the home wearing bright garments, welcoming the spring. The oak also undergoes transformation. Tender leaves appear on the branches. Slowly and steadily the oak regains its majestic look.
The birds and animals who left the tree come back, and so do the kids and adults. The tree welcomes them back without any rancour or animosity. It does not hold any grudge, as it knows the laws of nature and how they work. It is just happy to be among humans, birds, and animals again. When spring is over and summer comes, the tree once more becomes the centre of attraction and activity. The tree seems to smile—steady, patient, and content, a quiet reminder that every season of life passes and returns in its own time.
