There once was a tree who was getting on in years. He used to produce in May a glorious display of magenta blooms. Alas, the property owner over time neglected him. No water during droughts, no trimming to keep his shape and make more blooms. He felt unwanted and his blooms became less bountiful as the years went on. What does it matter, he said to himself.
One Fall, new people moved in next door. They were youngish, at least compared to his owner. There had been a lengthy drought that Summer and all plants in the neighborhood were ailing. One day, the neighbor was watering his thirsty shrubs when he noticed how bedraggled and unkempt the shrub looked. The soil around the base was cracked with dryness, a sure sign the shrub had not been watered. The neighbor set the hose by the shrubs trunk and gave him a long, slow drink. Overnight, his leaves plump with water no longer drooped.
The neighbor asked permission to do some trimming. The owner was fine with it. He simply did not have the energy anymore to do such things.
Deadwood was cut out, overgrown sections that stuck out like a cowlicks were trimmed back, crossed branches were removed. The shrub felt the best he had in a long time. He even put out new growth in the unusually warm, waning days of Autumn. Rain was falling regularly so his roots were nice and full. As frosts came, he dropped his leaves and settled in for the winter hibernation.
When he awoke, he felt like his old self. There had been a good snow pack so there was plenty of water in the soil for his roots when the ground thawed. The days grew longer and the shrub could feel not only the warmth of the sun on his branches but joined in the universal life energy vibrating among all the other species as the Earth woke up. The judicious trimming by the neighbor meant where there was once one branch, there were two. He felt the expansion of his being and pushed new leaves as much as he could.
And that year, out of gratitude to the neighbor, he bloomed twice.
Beautiful bloom of gratitude.
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