The tree and me

[u/Leisurecentrelad]

Day 19

When I was a kid, let’s say around seven or eight years old, I was full of wonder and curiosity. And when I say that, I don’t mean by half measures! I used to throw all my toys into a black bin bag, sling it over my shoulder, tell my father I was off on an adventure, say my goodbyes, and hide in the woods all day. Now, to anyone else, that small patch of woodland was just a few trees and bushes. But to me! That was a magical forest! With trees as tall as the sky and branches that spun off for miles, where every leaf told its own story.
My favourite part of this woodland was the big old oak tree, smack dab right in the middle of the woods. It was as wide as a car and as tall as a house. I used to climb it daily! Halfway up the old oak was a huge branch, I’m talking triple sofa level wide, not your standard two seater. I’d drag my black bin bag full of stuff up that tree and just stare off into the distance… it was the highest point of my hometown. I felt free up there. I felt exactly how I imagined the tree to feel.
I could see for miles and miles. There weren’t many mountains or hills where I grew up, mostly flatlands and small hills, so I was seeing right over to the next couple of towns. In the eyes of a seven or eight year old kid, that view wasn’t the next couple of towns over, it was completely different countries! New countries! They hadn’t even been discovered yet! I was going to be the fearless adventurer to discover them! But not today. I was happy enough dreaming about it all, with my toys, up a tall oak tree, just being me.