But have you ever had a tree hug you?

It stood so gracefully in that open field. Its majestic branches looking like they were reaching for a hug from Meredith. That tree was her favorite. It was magical. Every day Meredith looked at it through the dirty bus window on her way to school. She'd always picture herself getting married underneath it and living in the old farmhouse that was near it. In one month they were moving. Dad got a new job. Moving to a new town. It was on the other side of the planet, as far as Meredith was concerned. She'd asked her mom to bring her to the tree so she could press a few of its leaves into her favorite book. She wanted to take the tree with her. At least she'd have a piece of it.

Travis looked at the tree from his bedroom window. How many times had he climbed it in his life? Its sturdy branches cradling him as he laid there and dreamed. He was going to college next week and was feeling a little sentimental. Maybe because he was nervous. He'd never really been away from home except for that one time when Henry's family took him to the beach in North Carolina, on one of their family vacations. His family never went anywhere. He wasn't even sure if his father had ever left their town. Now he was going to college in another state! Across the country! He snapped a pic of the tree through his window with his phone. He made it his screen saver so he could always "go home" by looking at his phone.

Meredith was moving into her dorm room next weekend! She wanted to decorate it. She grabbed her old book, Winnie The Pooh, which has housed the leaves she had gathered from her favorite tree. Walking into the frame shop she was overwhelmed with the choices available to her. Geez, how will I ever pick out the proper frame? She thought. Just then a cute guy with longish brown hair walked up behind the counter. He smiled and her stomach did a flipflop. Woah. She thought a smile brightening her face. Hi there. Can I help you? He asked.

Travis had worked at the frame shop part-time while he was finishing up college. He was going to be graduating soon and he wasn't quite sure what he wanted out of life. He knew he wanted to see the country. He did not want to be like his dad. There was way too much to see and do. He was working on a new frame when a pretty girl walked into the shop.

Meredith had no idea what she wanted and laid her book on the counter. She opened it to the page containing her leaves. They were perfectly preserved and flat from the weight of her book. She laid them gently on the counter. The cute guy eyed the leaves. "I saved these leaves from a tree I loved as a child. We moved away and I wanted to bring it with me so this was the best way I could see. I'd like to have them framed as a reminder to allow myself to dream. " Meredith said. She hoped he could point her in the right direction. She wanted them to look perfect.

Travis thought of his tree. The one he missed having outside of his window. The one where he laid on the huge branches spinning his own dreams. He still had that picture in his phone. All these years later. "Funny how vegetation can have an effect on you," he said out loud. She looked offended. "I'm sorry," he said. "You didn't hear the conversation going on inside my head." I had a special tree too. Where I grew up. Far, far from here.

"Where did you grow up?" Meredith asked. Her interest piqued. I grew up far, far from here too. Centreville, Maryland. On the eastern shore.

"Woah! Where? Me too! Did you go to Queen Annes? I don't remember seeing you!" He said smiling.

"No, we moved the summer before 9th grade. You're older than me. I'm graduating this year. I start college soon. I want to decorate my dorm room with these leaves. Where was your tree?" she asked him.

In my yard. Travis thought of the big expanse of property they had outside of town. The Cladough Farm. The house was built in the late 1800s. He loved that place but wanted to get far from it. He didn't want to be trapped by a chunk of dirt. He pulled out his phone and searched for the photo. Here! Here it is! They couldn't believe it. They had grown up and dreamed using the same tree!

They'd been living in their RV for almost a full year. After meeting on that day they were inseparable. Travis graduated and got a job in a cubicle and learned about the stock market. Meredith struggled thru school. She hated it. She was too creative to learn the way they taught. It just couldn't hold her interest. They both quit.

They'd been living in their RV for almost a full year. Traveling to 32 states. Travis was set on being an explorer and loved seeing the country and since he knew how to trade stocks, that's what he did. He could do that anywhere. Meredith was a photographer. Mostly landscapes and nature so the RV life was perfect for her work. She wanted to take images everywhere!

Crossing the road Meredith set up her tripod. She knew she'd be back to photograph their tree. She wanted to capture it with her camera like she did with her imagination all those years ago. The chairs and flowers were getting ready to be set up for their wedding soon and she wanted a before and after! They were living their dream and a tree full of wishes pulled them together. Its branches, that promising hug pulling them together.

Life was magical.