Learning to Let Leaves go

Think about those that you hold dear... How do they help you to grow?

I was told once that relationships are like the different parts of a tree,
constantly growing and shaping this tree as time passes...
I was told that the roots will stay,
Keeping it alive even if it seems to be fading,
Helping this sapling become what it was always meant to be,
Whatever that means....
From the roots the trunk grows, it's bark getting stronger over time, withstanding harsh winds and rain of all kinds...
After a short time, branches will appear, reaching out and spreading all around,
Ready to help this tree grasp the sky....
Some branches are sturdy, and can be used to climb and play...
While others give out the moment you feel the need to grab it.
Time is a tricky thing, and will make these branches come down if they are tread upon too heavily.
With these branches come leaves...
Leaves are beautiful, but never seem to last...
Lovely little things that dance in the wind, sometimes holding fast to the branches they came from, and other times fluttering away with the slightest breeze...
Where do you suppose these leaves end up?
I like to believe they are still lovely and green, floating on the winds, traveling from place to place until they find a perfect place to rest.
Or maybe some are a vibrant red or yellow, waiting patiently for the right person to come by and pick it up, to keep it safe in a journal, or frame.
Or maybe....
I fear some may be brown now, withering and crumbling away as nature takes its course...
As leaves float far from my tree, I send each away with a kiss, and a wish for luck, as we may never know where these leaves will end up.
I will spare a thought to each every now and again, but no more than that, for my time is much to precious to worry about things that do not concern me,
Such as little things that left me.
I am lucky, for my tree has roots deep underneath, connecting to a vast well of knowledge, and within each root I find peace and contentment.
My roots are all that has kept me from withering away...
Thank you for your assistance in helping this tree grow.
May you be always surrounded by strong roots and beautiful flowers,
And with each passing year may your tree grow taller, until it eventually reaches the sun.

Author's Note

Of every thing that I have ever written, this is my favorite. It's the most personal to me, and was rewritten a thousand times before I decided to share... It will probably be edited a thousand more times still.