The Story of the Tree

By now, I've had a little practice telling this story. In fact, on Thursday, it constituted about 1/2 of my lesson (we were learning about imagery).

So, here you go...Once upon a time, there stood a beautiful tree. She lived in the front yard of a home that was by no means a castle, but was well loved anyway. The tree reached as high as the roof of the modest 2-story house and spread her curved and much-adorned branches over most of the front yard. Her name was Bradford Pear.

Now, Bradford Pear was well known for being the first tree to bloom in the springtime. As soon as Winter tucked itself away and his child Spring began to stretch her fingers over the land of Gloucester County, Bradford Pear would bloom. And she didn't just peak out a blossom or two at a time, she exploded in tiny white flowers that fell like snow when the breeze blew through. So early did she bloom, that by the time other trees were getting their first hints of life, she had already let loose her tiny leaf buds and was a beautiful array of white flowers and bright green leaves. And Bradford Pear was very proud of this.

Well, one day the people who lived inside the house that Bradford Pear guarded decided to go to the town's annual festival. And not only were they going to go, they were going to participate. They spent long hours ordering supplies and cleaning off silver to sell at the festival. They spent much money preparing and stocking and readying themselves for the festival. And they were excited to go.

But then the day of the festival arrived. The house awoke before dawn and began the last-minute preparations for the event. They bathed and dressed and checked and rechecked plans and lists and chattered happily like birds on a beautiful morning. Only this morning there were no birds. And when they looked out of the window, they saw why.

Over everything, there was a thick layer of newly fallen snow. The white flakes still fell from the sky and looked like the petals of the Bradford Pear when the Spring's breezes blew just right.
So concerned were they with the cold in the air and the 4 inches of snow covering the ground that they didn't even notice Bradford Pear who was shivering under her own layer of snow. But Bradford didn't care. She was being brave and facing this new and unknown enemy with great strength. Still, she could feel her already-laden branches start to shake and tremble under the weight of all of this strange white coldness.

The family continued to prepare for the festival because she was important to them that they go. The man braved the falling flakes and went to Carly the Car to brush the snow off of her and warm her insides. He didn't think of attempting the same with Bradford Pear.

As Bradford watched, the weight became too much. With a heavy heart, but even heavier branches, Bradford Pear decided to let down her beautiful arms and release her beautiful petals and bid farewell to her beautiful leaves. This new snow enemy was too strong and Bradford Pear was meant for warmer weather.

The man and the women that lived in the house heard the last words of Bradford Pear in the form of "Pop. Pop. Pop. CRASH" as her branches tumbled towards the earth in a shower of snow and snow-like petals.

And so, the day ended prematurely, not only for the festival, but for Bradford Pear as well.