Just Another Lemon Tree

I walked through the garden which had been my secret partner for I dont know how long. The dry leaves knit carpet on the garden road was as beautiful as in every winter. The color of the leaves hanging on the tree was changing to a brownish shade, the grip just loosening from the branches. The flowers had long disappeared and all that remained were memories.

Every step was taking me closer to my best friend, who knew all my secrets. My first crush, my first beating at home, my first prank on mother and every other story in thick and thin was written on the pages of our friendship. He never spoke a word, just stood still and waved when I was happy and shed leaves when I lost my patience. My friend was like my shelter for every rain who would protect me from the thunderstorm which threatened every base of my life.

As I came closer to my favorite lemon tree it spread its arms to hold me close. It had shown me the care I always dreamt of, just being there was enough for me. I lifted my head and smiled and said my warm 'Hello's to my dear one. It smiled back and swayed with the wind. I was so happy that day since I had achieved my dream. I had lived that complete day just for myself. Till now every moment was captivated with the soulful thoughts of others and today I had my life, just my own to live.

I spent the day with few of my old friends, who had walked all the way to meet me with their walking sticks and they smiled at me. That was enough to fill me to the core, to give justice to all the past nightmares. I walked another mile to meet my family. I saw a happy family with my sweet grand-daughter brushing her forehead hair and came running towards me. Her soft tender fingers gripped mine, as we walked towards my daughter. She waved at me and looked at her happy daughter. We spent more than two hours talking about the past and the future and she had to live for her classes. She had completed her PHD and taught at the top Univ in the area.

I walked back towards my house. As I opened the door I saw the walls I had seen on the first day when I had shifted here with my wife. It was a moment of pride and joy, pride of having the gift for life in the form of my wife and joy for she had liked the colors I had spent hours on, for the very moment. As we walked our first step she held my hand and kissed passionately, that was her way of saying 'Thank-You for everything'. I loved her so much. Her dreams had given me wings and I never looked back and I had achieved so much in so little time.

As I turned and closed the door of my room, I was welcomed by my OLD DIARIES and they were so happy for me being there, back with their company to revisit the moments I had thought were important. Like the time my little daughter had sang her first song, dancing to its tunes and rocked her hair. Or the time when I had bought my first car and the ride we had the other evening, ripping through the dawn till it was pitch black. Life has been so kind to me.

I walked out towards my best friend. It was a heavy walk towards the end of the park.