'The Wind in the Willows'

The air surrounding the fields of the farmhouse was stagnant and still. The blades of grass bent a bit over with the heat and lack of moisture. The weeping willow trees stood like mighty sentry along the drive up to the two-hundred-year-old farmhouse. Their long  branches bent over practically touching the ground. No movement could be detected in their branches and stature. Alice being bored, wanted to get out of the house.  It seemed as though the atmosphere within was full of tension and this caused her to feel sad and scared.   Alice felt a genuine love for her family but didn’t understand why her parents constantly were arguing lately.  Her Pa and 2 older brothers worked the fields that grew corn and alfalfa that got sold to big corporate companies. Ma and Alice had their own vegetable garden which they tended lovingly every day. Ma seemed to be a magician at transforming the picks of the day into the most delicious dishes set upon the supper table. Today was a bit different, she felt. Pa and the boys had not left for the fields.  She heard Ma and Pa discussing the infestation of locusts that destroyed nearly a third of the fields. With lack of rain over the last 5 days, everything was looking withered, and a bit burnt. Ma kept urging Pa to head out to the fields and harvest what they could. It was too early in the season was the answer back, so this seemed to be futile in Pa’s mind. The argument went back and forth. Alice slowly moved toward the front hallway away from the kitchen area where the others were gathered. She slipped out the screen door and dropped a dish towel to block the door from banging. She jumped off the steps of the large, covered porch. The trees seemed to be beckoning her to head their way. Alice loved these trees and found peace and quiet amongst them. The branches bowed down and seemed to greet all that passed by. Today Alice found the largest dome formed by one of the trees and pushed away the branches to enter the sanctuary. The roots ran along the ground in shallow gullies seeking to find the water to survive. They formed sections under the tree that she decided are designated areas of her secret hideaway. Alice always felt a bit of air movement when she entered the dome. She believed that the majestic trees captured the winds as they passed over and guarded them under their canopies. It was a comforting feeling. Almost immediately she felt a calmness embrace her as she moved toward the trunk of the tree. There was a hollow in the trunk where Alice had placed a small plaid blanket and a journal notebook.  She reached in and pulled them out. She laid out the blanket and placed the notebook in the corner. Up above she heard the flutter of wings of the kingbirds that had built a nest in the gnarled branches. Their fluttering added to the movement of air and created a soft symphony. The gentle, almost indistinct breeze tickled the hair on her arms as she sat down. The inner side of the leaves were a softer color, almost white. This created a pure environment that Alice thrived in. She closed her eyes for a moment and heard a nut tumble down through the branches as if it were in a maze finding a way out. The ever so soft air moved from top to bottom. The squirrels were active and found refuge in the twisted branches. They ran up and down throughout the day when there was no danger. Alice slowly breathed in the air that surrounded her. There was a sensation that somehow helped clear her mind and set her at ease. It was as if the invisible wind that whispered through the leaves spoke to her. It filled her with inspiration and imagination that she only found under the canopy. She opened the notebook and reread the last entry she made. Sometimes she didn’t remember what she wrote and was amazed at the context that filled the pages. Her mind traveled to far away places as if the wind under the canopy was her muse. The emotional anxiety and feeling of loss seemed to disappear with the movement of the gentle breezes under the trees. Her pen seemed to flow freely across the pages as the stories came to life. Today she felt fearless and brave. She closed her eyes periodically and listened to the rustle in the leaves. The guarded wind was moving ever so slowly, turning one way then another. Each movement brought a new vision. Alice opened her eyes and continued to record her visions and thoughts as the wind dictated. The birds and insects contributed their share of stimulus. The combination of all these individual parts melded into the complete atmosphere. Then the wind picked up a bit and started to move the leaves like sequence on a fancy ball gown. The leaves graciously moved in time and created a monochromatic show of green wonder. Alice was in awe of all this natural beauty. She wrote furiously with new vigor and zest to transpose her thoughts onto the paper in front of her. She had big aspirations of sharing her writings with her Ma but was a bit nervous. She felt she would be laughed at and told to start focusing on more pertinent things in life. Ma was constantly telling her that one day she would make a wonderful mother. Alice wasn’t so sure she wanted to follow along those same paths. 

She closed her eyes once again. The wind gently kissed her face and blew the pages of her notebook. Alice knew what she wanted to do. She yearned to continue her education and go on to college. No one in her family had ever been. The farm was the way of life passed down and was what was expected of each of them.  A different sensation suddenly filled the canopy. Alice slowly opened her eyes and saw her mother sitting next to her. Ma gently lifted the notebook from her lap. Alice watched her with anticipation as she read entry after entry. Ma’s eyes filled with tears.  She wrapped her arms around Alice. They fell into the embrace and let the guarded wind of the willows circle about them.  This was a moment that Alice had wanted for such a long time. Ma gently pushed back and looked straight into her eyes. Her smile was the answer to so much uncertainty. The flutter of the wings and the rustling of the leaves were signs that this was all good. Ma knew. Alice realized that Ma was proud of her and would do everything to help her in her pursuits. As she closed her eyes, they filled with tears of joy and peacefulness. The wind continued to move about, promising hope for the days ahead.