"The Growing Tree" (A Short Story)

Updated: Mar 26, 2020

A seed dropped from a large tree, landing on the ground in a place suitable for it to grow into a
small plant. The ground was rich with all of the resources a new seed could ever need to grow
into a tall and strong parent tree.

The growing seed learned to collect basic nutrients as it grew into a growing plant learning to
recognize different seasons and watching as different animals meandered nearby.

The parent tree, much larger and taller, payed little attention from its place up in the sky as it
mumbled to other large trees about nutrients, positioning of branches, sharing with other parent
trees, with and without a growing seed, feelings toward the different seasons.

The growing plant looked up at the parent tree, not understanding what all the larger trees are
talking about - what about nutrients? what are branches? and what about seasons?

A small but sturdy tree growing nearby offered the growing plant advice on which nutrients from
which seasons and animals are best. The growing tree was thankful and spent much of his time
saying the names of the different animals over and over so not to forget them. The growing plant
watched the different animals as they meandered, wondering which ones are those with names he
worked so hard to remember.

The growing plant was occasionally lucky enough to have an animal pass close by and would
nervously ask, "what kind of animal are you?" The animal would reply but would not stop to
chat, moving along as if it were busy looking for something. Depending on the animal, it would
leave hair, fuzz, or other things that would fall nearby and slowly disappear into the ground.

Days, weeks, even months went by this way until one day a large animal with two little bumps
on its head came directly up to the small plant, nuzzling it with its nose. Looking up to its parent
tree, it thought what ought to do. Luckily, a breeze brushed by the large animal and its head
picked up and stayed very still for a long moment, before quickly moving along and out of sight.
Such was the life of the growing plant is it spoke to animals, experienced seasons, and reflected
on the many different sorts of advice he received over the years. The growing plant grew
eventually grew into a growing tree with budding branches and small leaves, occasionally
glancing toward that small tree from before with hopes to show off its new form. That small tree
had since grown into a much taller tree, spending all its time whispering to the other taller trees
and swaying in unique new ways.