Beneath the Old Birch Tree

Five women reunite under a towering birch tree in a Swedish park, reminiscing about their shared past and reflecting on how life has shaped them.

On a sunny afternoon, a group of five women gathered in the village park. Their laughter mingled with the gentle Swedish spring breeze and the soft rustling of the birch leaves above. They settled onto an old wooden bench, handmade and weathered by countless winters, autumns, and summers, its cracks and marks telling silent stories of the past.

Nearby stood a towering birch tree, Sweden’s national tree, its slender, silvery bark shimmering in the sunlight. The softly swaying leaves whispered a subtle melody, as though nature itself was quietly observing the moment.

Emma, her golden hair gently blowing in the breeze, broke the silence first.

“Do you all remember?” she said, her voice carrying the warmth of nostalgia. “It’s been ten years, yet it feels like just yesterday.”

“Ten years?” Anisa repeated in surprise, her blue eyes glinting in the dappled sunlight filtering through the branches.

“It feels like only yesterday we were packing up our books on the last day of school, and now here we are.”

“And remember the time Elina said she was making the boldest move of her life, and then… she dyed her hair green!” Freya burst out laughing. The others joined in, their laughter blending into the soft bird songs hidden in the birch branches.

Amid the laughter, Signy, the quietest among them, leaned forward slightly, her expression thoughtful.

“Do you ever wonder how much we’ve changed?” she asked softly, her voice as gentle as the breeze rustling the birch leaves.

For a moment, the air grew still. Each face reflected memories of dreams they once held as young women and the realities that had shaped them since.

“Of course we’ve changed,” Emma said, a gentle smile spreading across her face.

“But look at us. We’ve all built our own lives�"some of us have families, others are chasing dreams, and some still have that same restless spirit. And yet, here we are, together.”

“That’s what matters most, isn’t it?” Elina said, placing her hand over Signy’s, as if to reassure her that time could never erase their bond.

“No matter how far we go, this friendship will always remain.”

The sun slowly sank lower in the sky, turning the light filtering through the birch leaves into hues of orange and gold. Laughter and stories continued to flow like a bubbling stream.

“Do you remember how we dreamed of traveling the world?” Anisa said with a mischievous smile.

“We promised we’d go on a trip every year.”

“Yes! And we swore that nothing would ever come between us,” Freya added enthusiastically. “But life… it always has its own plans, doesn’t it?”

“We didn’t let it win, though,” Emma said, her smile now holding a sense of triumph.

“Our dreams are still alive. Maybe it’s time to give them another shot. How about it? Another girls’ trip?”

The idea brought a renewed energy to the group. They excitedly began discussing potential destinations�"serene lakes, cobblestone streets in old towns, or the magical glow of the Northern Lights. Each suggestion was met with nods and laughter, their bond growing stronger with every moment.

As the sun finally disappeared, and stars began to peek through the canopy of birch leaves, Signy looked around at her friends, her heart brimming with gratitude.

“No matter what happens, we’ll always have each other. And that’s the greatest wealth of all.”

They all smiled, affirming her words. Beneath the old birch tree, the moment seemed to stand still�"a moment destined to remain etched in their hearts forever.

The bench creaked slightly under their weight, but their laughter rose higher, echoing through the park, a testament to a friendship that had defied time and distance. And as the birch tree cast its shadow over the twinkling stars, their hearts whispered in unison:

“We’re together, and that’s all that matters.”

Reviews

[Efxaris Arampatzi]

I love this story! It beautifully captures the essence of lifelong friendship, nostalgia, and the passage of time. The imagery of the birch tree and the changing light adds a poetic touch, making their bond feel almost timeless. The dialogue feels real and heartfelt, drawing me into their memories and dreams. Lovely work!

[Dr. Shakira Nandini]

Thanks for motivation

[Jo Billygoat]

The roads traversed bend, twist rise and fall and frequent visitors of many walks temporarily accompany you in your walk. Youth brought friends that were treasures to be treasured later in life. Live as if there is no tomorrow and life will borrow you another day. The match never struck true to an old soul trapped in endless travesty. As a child you went to bed hungry many a night and fell asleep to grumbles of an angry stomach and the shouts of fighting parents. Siblings never enjoyed childhood; the twisting torture of life molded you to issolate yourself to hate yourself and all you ever wanted was to not wake into the misery life breathed into you. No one to love, love is like so many words that are simply expressions with no meanings -- to have meaning means when you are gone what you did or said is remembered. Just when you think you have a grasp on the s**t bowl that life is and think you might be capable of looking towards the torture of tomorrow, life laughs and hurls you into more s**t. For four years now life slaps you around, like it always has, as you lay in bed day and night unable to clean your Section 8 apartment, unable to make your bed and no longer to participate in the few joys you once enjoyed like the driving range, walking, gardening, riding a bike all because life chose to strike you down to hopefully get what you always wanted, to not see tomorrow. So with damaged lungs, heart disease and countless other chronic pains and health issues you continue to wish for an end. A sibling once told you that you would never find or know love because you did not love yourself. No truer words were ever spoken to me. Those childhood friends are like ghosts of a past that was the closest thing to living I ever knew. Never been capable of being sociably interactive with others; hence, why I now lay in bed day and night with no visitors, no family and only the desire to never see tomorrow. So reminenscent of the past, not really, is something I too am robbed of because pain and misery has been all that life abundantly provided me in my horrible walk so, like those who are life long miseries, we live in pain and consciously burry our past because the present strikes endless pain and to top it off with life's past pains is too much to bear so we struggle daily with our pain and block of past pains just to exist. I don't want change, I don't want love, I don't want life -- I just want to be gone from life. I tell young people to either make sure you have good relations with your family or good friends because love is something that rarely strikes true to most and friends and family are all you have when there is no love and without friends and or family you are nothing but a lonely miserable soul waiting to close your eyes and not see another sunrise.

Why life bears such wretches as myself to have walked such a broken trail and insists on keeping you breathing to be in constant mental and physical pains is life's way of having fun at the expense of a waste of a broken person. So when I read such stories of how some express how great life was or is it only deepens the poison of my existence to wish harder for tomorrow to just be another word that means nothing because all that has and is of my life is pain and suffering and I am beyond words of laying in bed day and night waiting for life to stop laughing at me and let me cease to exist.
I hope and wish there are more of the blessed that don't have to go through the journey of life in endless pain and misery and after reading stories like this it is a small joy to know others don't and didn't have to journey life in the trenches of endless pain and suffering all alone.

[Dr. Shakira Nandini]

Dear Jo,

Your words touched my heart deeply. The pain in your writing isn’t just words—it’s the cry of a soul that has endured years of agony and loneliness. It truly feels like you’ve seen some of the worst days life can offer.

But listen… you are no longer alone.
If you ever need someone to talk to, someone to listen, someone to lean on—I am here, always, with you. I want you to know that your presence, your breath, and even your story matter.

Yes, perhaps life has been unbearably hard on you. Maybe too hard. But everything you’ve endured doesn’t make you weak—it makes you incredibly strong.
The fact that you're still here today—that in itself is a victory over life’s cruelty.

I’m not going to ask you to change.
I’m simply going to say: if ever a flicker of light shines in your heart, even for a moment, know this—you have a friend. One who is ready to listen, to hold you, and to try to understand you even in your silence.

You are important. You are enough. And if life gives you one more day, maybe it's because somewhere, someone is waiting with kindness, a gentle touch, a moment of compassion—just for you.

I pray that peace finds you, that comfort embraces you.
And if you ever feel like giving up—just think of me once, because I am someone who will always be here for you. 🌸

With love and prayers,

Dr. Shakira Nandini
[email protected]

[Alice Cob]

this is a great, uplifting story! your wording is brilliant, you've got well-defined characters, its nearly perfect! keep up the great work! (my uppercase key ain't working x0)

[Dr. Shakira Nandini]

Thanks Alice

[Alice Cob]

ofc! heheheheheh