( A short story in a way , hope it reads true and if it  touched the heart then It did what it was meant to do )
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"" For we are all but here for a moment and then time comes to take us away , Live each day as your last , for time is the thief and it doesn't announce it's coming , so speak softly and feel each breath , for one day it to will be taken from you .Be the bird on the willow tree , take comfort in it's shadow and it will shield you from harm , Take flight for you are not grounded for a reason , spread your wings and see what dreams can only imagine , So that when the time comes you can remember all that you had and once more your shadows will meet and you will be remembered ""

© RavenHeart /2019

.........A Willows Wish ............

The wind softly stirred the branch's in it's attempt to pull the last leaf from it's hold .The tree felt it's subtle caress but held onto the one leaf left hanging , although dying into it's final days it was reluctant in releasing it knowing that then it was bare and the time was near .Then it's world would become but a stark memory of what it had been as it's life would be barren again .Then came a flutter and it felt the return of the one who had spent the summer in it's hollow , each day it had felt it's company and now it was leaving as well ,After a few minutes it felt it's release as it flew away ,it's shadow fading away    .

She held the crumpled picture in her fist , how many times had she looked at it and then in a fit of emotions had it ended up in this form ! It wasn't that she wanted to destroy it .But each time It became more cracked and each time she did her best to straighten it the picture became more faded as the image disappeared  .But as before once again she did her best to put it back as she sat under the tree.She came there everyday come what may  ,but again with silent apologies whispered she did her best to take the creases away to expose the image .Frozen in time it was all she really had and with it came all the emotions and memories and she could feel the anger coming again ..And yet each day it was a repeat and soon she knew it would be to faded to recognize anymore ! I want to fade away to she whispered as a tear came .There in silence she sat with her thoughts till she heard a subtle flutter of wings and as eyes searched the tree she see's something looking at her and for a moment eyes locked as each viewed the other as in knowing then just as suddenly to take flight again , it's shadow disappearing into hers and then gone .

The axe fell hard as he split another piece of timber , The season was ending and soon his hard work would pay off as the winds of time would blow in the new season .He stared at the pieces laying around the block he used to split the wood , enough ! He needed to walk away from it for a while . And as he walked he saw the starkness of everything , how devoid everything had become without him even noticing it . The leaves crunched under his weight as he strolled through what had been a world alive not that long ago , now it was bare , death now was all he saw .Taking a moment he stopped beside the willow tree , it's leaves all gone except for a one which lingered .He leaned against it's bark , it felt cold and as if it to was dead ,His mind wandered and he stared around at what was now a barren landscape , how fast it goes he thought .His shadow had merged with the trees and he stretched his arms out as he watched his shadow appear , Like a tree is how we seem  to be words quietly escaped him .Then a flutter and as he looked up there it was , the bird which had lived in the hollow had come back .Staring at each other they seemed connected .He moved further from the tree to see it better and in one final look it flew away , it's shadow flew into his for a second then it was gone 

She stared at the photo , still remembering the time and as tears filled her eyes she held it to her heart .Her head fell to her chest as she breathed in deeply but the tears came as always , Her body shock as she let it take control as the feeling was real and as much as it hurt it was all she could have 

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He continued walking along the path , eyes were red and sore and as he fought back the tears he saw her sitting by the tree , her shadow casting itself onto his path .He didn't look at her but her shadow showed what she was feeling .Lowering his head he continued walking till his shadow fell onto hers

 .High above the bird flew watching as the shadows merged and slowly disappeared .And it flew back to the tree where it perched looking but finding nothing but an old crumbled photograph laying on the grass , along the path were footprints leading nowhere .And in one final flight it flew past where there had been two and as it crossed shadows unseen it to disappeared for it's time had come ,and the wind blew softly and the tree gave up it's last  ....................

© Edge/2019

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