My ojīchan tree

People around me give me a name, and it's ojīchan. It means 'grandfather'. And, I am the tree spirit of that 'oak tree'. That big, old and strong tree is me. And the boy who is coming while calling my name is one of my love child, 'Hiro'. He had a pretty cute face, big eyes, black hair and top of that innocent smile, oh! It melts my heart.

It's like our daily routine after Hiro, come back from his school, he come there to play with his friends. But first he hug me while calling me ojīchan. It's such a heart warming experience.

Well, yes! I felt bad when kids calling me ojīchan, I mean I am not that aged, but if it gives happiness to my love children, it's alright. 

 Well, it's very meaningful for me, 'cause of the story behind that name is heartwarming,

'three year ago when Hiro is four, he lost his grandfather. After returning from his grandfather's funeral, he used to sit and cry under me many times. I felt so sad after looking his tears. He sure is deeply connected to his grandpa. I want to comfort him, and want to pat his back gently and make him smile but I am no position to do that sort of thing. And many time he fell asleep while crying and his parents took him home. 

But one day he come to see me, at evening when all kids went back to there home. I just thought that, he is there to cry again, but he isn't shedding a tear until he saw me, he come close to me while running and he hug me, he started calling me, ojīchan. It felt really good what he calls me, but I want to know the reason.

 When he get a bit stable he tell me the reason for suddenly calling me ojīchan He lose up his hands a bit and now I am able to see his face. He had a brushes on his face, his hair is a mess and eyes were red 'cause of tears. He tells me, he is disturbed after his grandpa's death and 'cause of that he is skipping meals, can't doing his homework and started misbehaving with parents and teachers.

 Today he, misbehave with his father and he hit him on his cheeks. He started crying while holding his mother, her mother try to comfort him so, she says "after the death of ojīchan, he started living in that garden's tree and when ever you did anything bad he sees you. And if you don't want to make your ojīchan sad so, you had to stop misbehaving.' And that's the reason he started calling me ojīchan and hugging me all of a sudden. I am happy that he can't cry anymore. And after seeing Hiro calling me ojīchan, everyone stared calling me that too.I don't care how young I am for that title. But I love to hear that, from those children. It felt so warm after hearing that. 

 Hiro is a cheerful child, who love to play with his friends. And maybe behind him that girl in pink dress with short and brown hair is 'Yuki' and maybe Hiro's special friend. They were always play in that garden. I love to see those children grow. 

I am the only tree in that garden so, in the old times, it felt a bit lonely, actually not just a bit but I felt such sorrow like dying. But after the children come to play that place I no longer felt that way. I love it, when they swing on my branches or climb on me or when they play around me. I felt so glad to became a tree.

The girl who is crying over there is 'Mio', she is six, and she is a shy and used to cry a lot. I saw her when she is just two and now just look at her. Behind her that strong black hair girl is 'chiki.' ohhh! When I first saw her she is so small but now she grown up. 

And there is 'Taka' he is the bully of that group. He always ready to put a fight. And he always bully everyone. But I know his true self he also, sit and cry under me, while calling her mother. Taka's mother died a while ago and 'cause of being a bully he can't show everyone's his tears. So, he come to me when everyone gone and cry until he satisfied. I pat him with my gentle breezes. Sometimes he get tired and sleep under me.

Those kids were really good even though they hurt me. 'Aki' writes her and 'Toma's' name as a promise of future love marriage, in my trunk. And the sign in the little left yes, it's given by 'Himari' she fell down and get a wound. She sob a lot. Oh! I don't want to remember that. And there are many more of that. For me those were not scares those were sweet memories which were given by my grandchildren.

Time sure fly away. They were growing up faster then expected. It felt like like it's tomorrow when they first time come to see me, hug me tightly and call me ojīchan. Well I am being a selfish tree if I say, I don't want them to grow up, but I became more happy when they grow up.

Sometimes I think I sure done something great in my past life that I had a chance to make the reason of those kids smile. And it's a lot fun to watch them playing.

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Time fly away for real. Hiro shifted few years ago. And yuki too. Taka's father also get married and her mother love her the most in the world, as Taka told me. Mio stops weeping. She try her hard to stand strong and chiki help her and both were in relationship. Well, youth is sometimes act weird but as long as they were smiling, it's alright. Aki and Toma sometimes come to refresh there old memories and it's make me happy. Humari stills have that scare in his left toe and I want to say sorry about that, BUT.

It's been ages, since I saw a kid. It's like a century passed and now the only emotion is left inside me is, sorrow. I felt like I am dying slowly by sipping that poison of loneliness. I felt hollow. Any child can't come to play, and many people say that place is haunted. I close my eyes and pretend to sleep until I heard a voice ojīchan.

When I opened my eyes there is not an empty field, there is no sorrow, it's my Hiro, looking toward his ojīchan. It's been so long since anyone call me that, my heart is filled again with those beautiful emotions. I almost want to cut those roots and hug him tightly and don't let him leave again but I can't do that. He stepping up towards me and do the same what I want. A warm hug of grandchild and his grandpa. I want my arms around him but I don't have arms. I started crying after seeing him.

 I am already a happy tree, who is patting his grand child with gentle breezes I need nothing I completed my last wish. Now I am all prepared to die. But suddenly my trunk felt more arms around me, those were my all love children, who used to play with me in old days. I can't be that happy in life then this moment. It's marvelous. I could fell the warmth of there body. I felt sound of there smile and a final chance to see them. All those things make my heart to explode. Now I die peacefully.

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After hugging me for so long they play around me, talking and giving me smiles, like old days.

But maybe that time they were talking about something serious. Why that big machines come that way, why, what's happing why they were digging my routs. Hey it's hurt. Don't. I said no......

When, I am senseless, I saw noting but a dark, endless void. It's like I am falling. Maybe God also want me to rest. But everything is fine, 'cause I meet those kids again. I can't regret for dying. 

But, where are those voice come from, 'are you alright', 'are you ok new tree'

Wait were I am? Is that a park. Or

I want to ask more questions but my all questions fade away after seeing my all lovely grandchildren smiling towards me. I think, I die. No, no how I could even imagine that, when I have such precious kids behind me. What should I say.

'hey you new oak tree, are you alright or still felt dizzy?' I ask where am I and there reply is relaxing, my kids were grown up now, they sees my condition and quickly plant me, in that children's garden. Maybe I can't felt that lonely now.

My new place have many tree which were always talking to me, even in the nights they can't leave me alone.

Hiro, come atleast ones in a week to sees me. He said he started studying that place. And those other children were also come to great me. I felt so filled with that I want to jump but my roots don't allow me.

Seeing there happy faces make my heart go wild. I love my grandchildren a lot. And it's a lot of fun see them everyday and hear there voice while they calling me ojīchan. I sure am some of those lucky ones who saw haven in earth. 

 And thanks to Hiro, my new grandchildren started calling me ojīchan and hugging me everyday. But it's make my other tree friends jealous. They said all kids only love there ojīchan tree.

But I said, I am sure an oak tree but also those kid's ojīchan. I had to take responsibility.