The Magic Tree

There is the most beautiful dogwood tree in our front yard. My dad planted many years ago.

It is the first thing you see when you come into our driveway, it is tall, but the beauty of this tree,

the branches start almost at the abase and spread upward. The tree is round, with so many branches, it seems like long loving arms reaching toward the heavens. In the spring, when in full bloom, it looks like a huge white cloud. In the summer, it is an oasis of cool green shade, in the fall it is bonfire of reds and oranges, and in the winter, red berries decorate it and serve as food for birds and squirrels.

When my niece Samantha was 3 or 4 years old, I taught her to climb "the magic tree". The limbs were strong, and low and she was fearless as she made her way to the top. We would sit for hours, and make up stories about the tree. There were wonderful talking animals who called the tree home(they were also circus performers). Each time we sat in the tree, all those incredible animals would visit us and amaze us with their feats! She and I would make up stories about each creature, giving them names and voices, and each day they would share their adventures with us.

As she grew older, her love for the tree and its magical inhabitants slowly faded. I wrote the stories down, and one day I will put them in a book for her. But a couple of days ago, her son

Jordan spent a few hours with me and I introduced him to the magic tree. He is more cautious than his mom, he climbed a couple of limbs and was content to just sit and listen to the wind and feel the breeze on his face. He is only two, but he already seems to understand the tree is special. I can't wait until he is ready to hear the stories, climb to the top and hang out with him.

I am sure he will have his own magical friends that live in the tree and I cannot wait to meet them.