[ WP ] Write about a Tree

Ah, what a life I've lived. 
 
 The stories I've heard. 
 
 The opportunity I've created. 
 
 As a mere sapling, the children ran past, screaming and laughing. As I grew, they took ever so slightly more and more care to move around me, avoiding the prospect of trampling me to death. It had almost happened once, though luckily for me one of the adults made sure it would n't happen again. The children always did take care around me after that. Two children, Billie and Samuel, even began to water me on occasion. Sometimes day after day, sometimes once a week. But even when they did n't water me, I knew they would bring their watering can back eventually. They were among the group of children who played in the field near me. They ran past just about every day. They would n't forget about me so easily. 
 
 Throughout what I suppose you could call my teenage years, I had grown a lot taller. I had pleasant branches. Leaves. I was at that awkward time where I was n't sure why my leaves changed colour the same time each year. Fortunately, there were no other trees very close to me, so even if the other trees in the area could talk, I would n't have been able to hear them. Most of the children had not visited me in many years. They had to go to school... They had hobbies and interests that took up their free time. Here I stood, forgotten by many. A few of the once-children still came by, however, with new friends. They would have picnics nearby. I heard their talk. Their jokes. Their minds had become so inquisitive; so insightful. I missed the days of imagination, yet it was admittedly nice to know of things factual. 
 
 *It was here that my growth seemed to begin progressing more slowly than theirs. * 
 
 Years passed. The young men and women occasionally visited, and eventually they grew up and I did n't see them again. Most of them had children of their own, who sometimes visited, though rarely. When they did, I got to relive my own youth, vividly! The children climbed through my branches, and the imagination they possessed was incredible. Swinging through my branches as they pretended to be pirated moving from ship to ship... I was the middleman of creative expression, and it felt incredible. They visited less and less often though, and I felt the need to sleep for a few years. 
 
 One day, something magical happened. The original group came! Those who were once the children who played in the area around me, back when I was a sapling! Although, thinking back, by this point they had grown a lot. So much so, that their skin was wrinkled and their voices hoarse. They were aided by younger adults, who carried baskets and boxes. They laid a rug at my base, and had a picnic, just like old times. 
 
 `` Miss Amy, would you pass me biscuits?'' An old man asked. 
 
 `` Of course!'' Said the young lady, placing the box nearer to him. `` You used to come here when you were younger, did n't you, Mr Steveston?'' 
 
 The old man smiled. 
 
 `` Yes... Yes, I did. We all did.'' 
 
 `` Um...'we all'? Who do you mean?'' 
 
 `` Us!'' The old man said with a large grin. `` We oldies were friends in our youth! We used to come here since we were very young. This tree was n't quite so impressive back then, you see. We formed this group deliberately, we are n't just a bunch of random seniors who were bunched together by chance, Miss Amy.'' 
 
 The young lady's eyes went out of focus and she shit a whimsical gaze at nothing in particular. 
 
 `` Yes, Miss Amy, you too will make good memories with your friends. But let's enjoy the picnic, yes?'' 
 
 And so the picnic progressed. Despite their age, I could easily recognice the old-timers. Martin, Sarah, Jeremy... Not all of the children from back then were present, but I had seen most of the original group in various incidences over the years. 
 
 The picnic eventually came to a close. The pleasant youths gathered up the old-timers and began ushering them back along a trail which I presume led to a parked minibus. But as they left I heard an interesting tidbit. 
 
 `` Have you heard from Samuel and Billie lately? They said they'd try to come to the picnic.'' 
 
 `` No, I have n't. But I do believe they've been very busy lately. They've been meaning to visit this spot for a long time now. They said if they could n't be here today, they'd come next week.'' 
 
 `` Perhaps we should bring the group again next week then...?'' 
 
 `` We ca n't. We all booked our blood tests and checkups for next week, remember?'' 
 
 `` Oh, yes.'' 
 
 Only a week until Billie and Samuel would visit? Oh wondrous joy! I had n't seen them in, well, decades! Since they were children! They were the only ones who had n't visited me since those days! 
 
 
 The week rolled by, and then came the weekend. I waited and waited, and then... They arrived. Two *very* old people. They had two young children with them. `` Can we climb the tree, grandma? *Can we? Huh? *'' The little girl asked. 
 
 `` Of course,'' Replied Billie. `` but you have to promise to be nice and not snap any branches. I watered this tree when it was only *this* tall.'' She said, holding her had at just below knee height. `` Yay!'' The little girl cried out in unison with her brother. 
 
 Billie and Samuel Carefully sat down at my base. `` I'm so happy I've known you throughout my life.'' 
 
 `` And to you, my love, the same.'' 
 
 They sat, reminiscing about the'good old days', as the children played among my branches. I had the best of both worlds. Pleasant memories, interlaced with new ones being created. But when they got up to leave, I heard the bad news. 
 
 `` It's such a shame we wo n't be able to see this tree again.'' 
 
 `` Yes... But I'm glad we came here today.'' 
 
 What was going on? Were they ill? Were they dying? If so, I could only hope the children's parents would bring them back sometimes. But they left quickly, as the children were'dying' for some ice cream. And with that, I had seen all of the kids from the original group. 
 
 A few days later, I found out what Billie and Samuel meant.'Urban development' was a prominent phrase among the men who walked past me with clipboards. And then I saw it. The machine which would cut me down so that something could be built in my place. 
 
 I would never see Billie or Samuel again. Nor Martin, or Sarah, or Jeremy. Not even their grandchildren. I was to be cut down and replaced. 
 
 I got the feeling, however, that all living things must die eventually. Why else would those I'd known for so song become so wrinkled and wretched? 
 
 I had seen everyone I wanted to see. I had lived a good life. 
 
 It was time for me to go, but I did n't mind. 
 
 Not one bit.
