The Tree That I Wished For

The home that I live in with my partner during summer vacation, winter vacation and sometimes on weekends was once the home/house that I dreamed of and wished for. To the east, there is a view of the main gate, a large community area and a park of green grass, trees and stone laden pathways. In the back, facing west there is a farm of rice paddies and buildings of the city beyond that. All of this is in the middle of Taiwan’s third most populated city.

When we first moved in, it was just me and my golden retriever puppy named Happy. Soon the city began planting trees in the park and I used to imagine what they would look like ten years from then. I was very satisfied at the time with my house and the front view. However, I couldn’t seem to stop wishing there were more greenery in the back facing west. Apparently the farmer had decided to let all that land sit idle for few years and I guess he started that just about when we move in.

As having no greenery back there just wasn’t part of my dream, I decided to plant my own tree. So I went an bought a pine tree, carried it back there and I planted it so that it would grow in front of my window, provide shade in the summer time and greenery for my view. Soon thereafter the farmer contacted me and said that I couldn’t just go planting trees on his land. Not having much of an argument to stand on, I agreed and sadly I unplanted my tree and replanted in the park. A couple of years later some city workers dug that tree up and replaced it with another kind of tree. I guess it just wasn’t part of their plan.

Nevertheless, I continued to imagine and wish for trees back there. Then one day, I saw that a tree had begun to grow right behind my house. I guessed it was the farmer who planted it, but I don’t know for sure. Soon after that, another tree, kind of like one of those fast growing vine trees began to grow very close to the concrete wall of our house and I guess the foundation of our building. As it grew, I became somewhat concerned that it’s roots might grow under the foundation of our building and perhaps do some damage. I also wondered if, during a typhoon, the overhanging roof on the first floor. Sometimes, I have considered the prospect of trimming the tree or even cutting it down. However, as I have no evidence no evidence that it will cause damage, so why should I cut it down. After all, it is kind of what I asked for.

So I’ve been talking to the tree, like at talk to many things, explaining how important it is not to damage the house with its branches or the foundation with its roots. And no, they don’t talk back to me. Or maybe they do and theirs is a language of expression rather than words. Sometimes a big spider that wonders around our house does occasionally hang out on the wall and seem to stare at me, especially when there’s tension in the air. Anyway, getting back to the tree, in looking at this subject the other day, I recalled the image of how I had so often imagined the greenery growing back there. You know what’s funny? The physical picture that I view now is very, very similar to what I had quite often wished for and imagined going back about forteen years. Actually, it’s more than I had hoped for. Thus, I am reminded of the saying, be careful what you wish for, because once the seed is planted, it may grow beyond what you wished for.