Oh Dear Tree, Where are you?

Oh Dear Tree, Where are you?

When first meeting you, you stood discreet and tall, slightly behind a building. It was like you were peeking above the building, discreetly assessing any newcomers. Perhaps your shyness had kept you safe for many years. Since your disappearance, photos of your youngest selves has emerged. Your resilience in growing in an urban environment has been saluted. You started as a tiny and skinny tree, away from your friends. You had only a building and car park for company. Your closest friends were on the other side of the drive. One day they were gone, and you remained on your own, growing taller and bigger. You would be around 40-50 years old now, in your teenage years. Time for fun and exploration but you are no more. Where are you?

Your welcoming presence is dearly missed. Life has returned to busyness, with no more reasons to take a moment. Where are you?

There is no more shade to escape the heat or the rain. Where are you?

Without you, the space feels dull. Your antics were always a reason to smile. Seeing you proud and shy, discreet and tall, playing with the wind and sun, you brought many smiles on faces. Where are you?

Birds are at lost, no more resting stops on their journey. No more playing in your branches among your leaves. No more bird songs will resonate. Where are you?  

You grew into a very balance tree, with branches exploring all spaces around and above you. The sunrays played hide and seek among the leaves, creating pattern of shadow and bright light. Not dissimilar to the pattern of your trunk. Patches of grey bark over smooth white yellow skin. Your elegant trunk was smooth and tall, reaching towards the sky. You surpassed the height of the surrounding building. Your beautiful branches and leaves offered a welcome respite from the sun. Your fallen barks and leaves formed a soft carpet, ideal for small animals and insects to forage.

Your beautiful aroma is gone. During warm days, it would spread like a delightful perfume in the air, becoming stronger as one approached you. Inhaling deeply of your scent had a calming effect on the mind, transporting us in your mysterious world. Your charming strange flowers attracted bees and birds. When blooming it was like a discreet aroma over your familiar fragrance. Lovely splash of colour on your green canopy, they unfolded slowly with their filaments falling out in a circular fashion.

50 years is probably a long time to survive city life. You would have seen some interesting, funny, and sad events in your time. Your absence has been covered by brown mulch, like with for your friends. It is unlike the mulch will be replaced by another tree. You know why? When you grow tall and big, you become scary and are deemed unsafe. So deep pruning and at worse cutting you down is the best to protect the community. However, who will protect the community from the heat and the pollution, the stress’s illnesses and all these urban diseases?