The Little Tree on the Hillside
by Fran Hafey/Mysti
Once upon a time there was a little tree on a hillside. There were other trees not very far away, just along the forests edge. The little tree grew straight and each year the farmer would trim its branches back, along with all the other trees and tell them how beautiful they were.
One year, the farmer who had grown old, went away, and the trees were not visited as much and they didn't have their branches trimmed. This made them sad, but they were very proud to still be on the hillside.
One day they noticed a new family had moved into the house down in the valley that they overlooked.
The little tree saw a little girl with her dog running and playing in the yard in the summer breeze. The little girl and her dog ran up the hill to the very top and they looked down. The little girl said, "oh my what a beautiful view of the valley." Excited she turned and noticed the little tree standing there alone and said,
"I will trim your branches and make you beautiful again."
This made the little tree very happy.
When the cool north winds came, the little girl didn't come to visit as much, but a man did. He walked up the hillside and looked down into the valley. He looked at the trees and said,
"I will cut these trees down, they block my view of the sun and they would make good firewood." The little tree shook with fear and was once again, very sad. He loved looking down into the valley and he missed the little girl and her dog.
The man returned with an ax in his hand. But the little girl was chasing behind him.
"Please daddy" she cried. "Please don't cut down my tree!"
The man turned and saw his little girl crying and he said, "but the tree blocks my view and it just stands here all alone and it's not even a very big tree at all." Just then it started to snow, so the man said he would come back tomorrow. He picked up the little girl and headed down the hillside.
That night, Christmas Eve night, as the little girl and her dog slept, the man sat by the fire. He watched the flames pop and dance as he was mesmerized and taken back in time, when he was a boy.
He too had loved the trees and loved the holiday snow. He remembered back, many years gone by, the trees and how beautiful they were. His father had taught him to love all living things and to cherish them.
When his father died and then later also his wife, he was left alone with his little girl. He had somehow lost that love he had for nature and the beauty of all things. He lost many things, and with this memory he shed a tear. He sat by the fire for a long time that night.
The next morning the little girl awoke to a quiet empty house. There was no tree, no decorations, no candy canes or treats waiting for her and her dog.
The little girl felt very sad.
Just then she heard a sound outside and she ran to look out the window. She could hardly believe her eyes, when she gazed up on the hillside and she saw all the sparkling lights and decorations all glowing upon those trees and there was her father waving to her, with a big smile on his face. Something she hadn't seen for a very long time!
She grabbed her boots and coat and headed for the door.
She ran up the hill with her dog in tow, her cheeks glowing rosy red. Her father raised her high in his arms and lifted her to place a star on the little tree, there on the hillside.
The little tree was shaking, but this time, not from fear, but with joy and happiness!
Some say, they heard a voice on the wind whistling through the forest that Christmas morning. It was the voice of love.
The father vowed to never forget, ever again, the love that he had once held in his heart. He would hold it close, but live his life for the family he had now. He promised to do his part to love all living things and to always take care of the little tree on the hillside.
Sending you love, grace and peace, Wishing you joy and the gentleness of nature all year long, especially in your heart
~Mystiblu
Written December 1, 2002
© Mystickblue Copyright©All Rights Reserved 2000-2010
About the Author
Fran Hafey is a Healer, Writer, Spiritual Consultant, Earth, Human rights, animal rights and Peace activist. She lives in the woods and mountains in Virginia with her husband, dogs and birds and lots of trees! She provides guidance and inspiration via her Website, groups, ezine's and blogs on the World Wide Web.
She is currently working on her own books about love and inspiration, miracles and magic and nature stories for Children of all ages. Keep in touch, for all the many changes and Spiritual growth~
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