Journal #20

Helen was a bright and lively girl growing up.  She had stone cold grey eyes and brunet hair.  She was the type of person who always had to be around other people.  When she was younger, she would get scared and start to cry if she was alone for an extended period of time.  As Helen became older, however, being by herself became less frightening, but it still made her feel really down.  Later, after she became an adult, she decided to adopt a young child.  She had always wanted to adopt a baby girl and doing so would give her company and fill her life with joy and energy.  The baby’s name was Elsie and she was only 5 months old at the time of adoption.  Elsie grew up fast and she and Helen and Elsie did not only have a mother-daughter relationship but they also became close friends.  As Helen soon discovered, like herself when she was younger, Elsie was terrified of being isolated from other people.  This was not usually an issue, though, because Helen was constantly with her.  Elsie also loved nature.  She would spend countless hours staring at the multitude of birds, the racing of a river, and most of all the forests of trees.  There were no trees on the property that she and Helen lived at, so she spent much of her time at the park admiring all of the tall and branched trees.  One day, Helen surprised Elsie by bring home a small tree which they would plant in the spacious backyard.  Elsie really enjoyed having that tree in the yard where she could see it from her bedroom window.  Every day, she would go outside and nurse the tree by giving it vitamin plant food and water.  If there were any weeds growing beside it she would pull those as well.  One spring afternoon, a terrible storm struck the town and the high winds uprooted the young tree.  Elsie was very sad but somewhat relieved when Helen said that they could plant a new tree in its place.  That’s what they did and eventually, the tree became huge and grew many branches.  Helen and Elsie spent much of their time together and were very grateful for one another.  Then, on a dark and dreadsome winter night, Helen was involved in a serious car accident after a car skidded on the slippery ice right into the front side of her car.  She was taken to the hospital for critical care and when it was apparent that she would not last much longer, she asked to see Elsie.  She told Elsie that she would have to go away for a long while but that she will see her again someday.  Elsie, who did not fully understand what was happening, told Helen that she was scared and begged her not to go and leave her behind.  Helen told Elsie that, like the tree that was devastated in the storm, her time has come to go but, like the strong new tree, Elsie is there to take her place.  “Do not be afraid”, she said.  “Someday I will get to see your bright smile again and I will always be with you in your heart.”