It only took him 300 years. A breeze, considering.
Many took longer. Some – like Olives and Redwoods – required a millennium to achieve Elder. No fault of theirs, of course, but still … many times longer than he’d had to.
His from-seedling brother had thought him nuts. Literally. “Wait and wait to reach Elder and all you get for your trouble is being bent out of shape, your roots hanging out, and critters crawling in your innards.”
His brother had other aspirations. “Sail the world, I would. Ride the ocean. Move on the wind.”
Elder hadn’t had the heart to tell him that he’d be just as likely to end up planked as some dark closet, with no fresh air or birdsong or butterfly-kisses. Or worse, chopped to burn.
It’s been centuries since lumberjacks carted his brother away.
He was Elder now. Guardian of the path. Home of many.
For Crispina‘s Crimson’s Creative Challenge
Na'ama Yehuda 
His brother should have listened to him. Great take, Na’ama.
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Thank you, Shweta! I’m not sure they get to have input … at least not from most lumberjacks, who don’t speak Tree, but only Saw or Axe … However, I do think they get to have their own dreams … 🙂
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So beautiful I read it twice! ♡
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Hi Shelly – thank you for reading and for commenting and … I am so glad you liked this! 🙂 Hope you ‘stop by’ again! 🙂 Na’ama
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Love the idea of this. Yes, I’ve no idea how old this creature is, but the word ancient seems to fit
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Thanks, Crispina! Some trees are all that and more, aren’t they? There’s a special grace in these gnarled, bent, age-scarred, era-wizened trees. At least to me. 🙂 Great photo!
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Agreed wholeheartedly. 🙂
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😀
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This is fantastic, Na’ama! A whole, be careful what you wish for thing, isn’t it?
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Thank you, Dale! Yeah, sometimes wishes come true … but not in the way you wanted them to …
😉 Then there’s Elder, whose wishes came true EXACTLY as he wanted them to.
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Well, of course they did for the ELDER… He KNEW of what he spoke. You don’t gain that type of wisdom by dreaming outside of your realm… 😉
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LOL! Truth, that! For example, I cannot POSSIBLY dream of being an astronaut. Not when I get motion sickness trying no read a google map while riding in a car … 😉
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Exakery!
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