Tree of Life by Sandy Brannan

Claire listened to the sound of dishes being pulled out of picnic baskets and placed on the tables set up in the gazebo. She liked the soft hum of voices that drifted her way too. If she closed her eyes and concentrated, she could pick out each voice. It made her smile to know she would soon be enjoying a plate of food made by the hands of her daughters, granddaughters, and the lovely woman who had recently married her only grandson.

A tear surprised her by slipping out of her eye, making its way down her wrinkled cheek. Letting go of the armrest of her wheelchair, she reached up and wiped it away. She wasn’t sad, but she always felt a little bit alone at these family reunions.

Looking over at her family gathered inside the pavilion, she understood why they had wheeled her under this old tree. She needed the shade it offered, and they needed her out of the way. She suspected that’s where the tear had come from. It felt like just yesterday that she was responsible for frying the chicken, making the potato salad, and baking a couple of cakes for their reunion. Slowly her daughters had gotten married, taking over more and more responsibilities with each year that passed. By the time her granddaughters grew up and married, Claire no longer was needed to make anything for their yearly meal together.

She knew they all meant well, knew they realized how it had become a challenge for her to cook for everyone, but she no longer felt like she was part of it all. Yes, the bittersweet feeling that came from getting old was definitely why she had wet tears on her cheeks right now.

Looking away from her family and up at the branches of the tree, she thought about how lovely it was. It certainly offered her much-needed shade, but it also reminded her of her life. She knew the tree had started very small, adding size and strength with each passing year. Yet, she couldn’t help but think about her own life, a life that had grown without her even knowing it was happening, a life she found herself looking back on more and more lately.

When Claire felt the soft hand resting lightly on her own, she shook all thoughts of the tree and her life away as she struggled to focus on who was in front of her. When she saw the blue eyes and kind face of her youngest granddaughter, she smiled. Adelyn had always been her favorite, a truth she would never reveal to anyone else even though she suspected they all already knew.

“Nana? Were you sleeping?”

Loving the way Adelyn’s sweet voice sounded, Claire smiled at her as she answered, “No, not sleeping, just doing a little dreaming.”

Sitting down on the grass so she could look up into her grandmother’s face without letting go of her hand, Adelyn asked, “Dreaming about what?”

Wondering how much to tell her, Claire settled with a simple, “Nothing. And everything. Just thinking about how this tree is like my life. It’s been so full, but now the branches are so far from the roots.”

Nodding her understanding, Adelyn choked back the emotion that had suddenly filled her throat. Then, when she trusted her voice, she quietly said, “Nana, none of the branches could survive without the roots.”

“Sweetheart, you know I won’t always be with you.”

Climbing to her knees while putting her arms around her grandmother, Adelyn whispered, “Even when we can’t see the roots, we know they’re there. And we’ll never forget how important they still are. I love you so much.”

Claire clung to the young woman who had brought so much joy to her life. Looking over the head full of rust-colored curls, she let her eyes rest on each person in the gazebo. She tried to imagine what her latest great-grandchild would look like, the one who was resting comfortably within the body of her grandson’s wife. She suspected she might not live long enough to meet the new baby, and she surprised herself when she didn’t feel as sad as she usually did when she indulged in such thoughts.

Giving her granddaughter a tight squeeze, she pulled away and told her, “Is that your momma’s fried chicken I smell? I sure would love it if you’d fix me a plate.”

Nodding without answering, Adelyn stood up and walked away. Stopping to glance back over her shoulder, she wasn’t surprised to see the look of peace on her grandmother’s face. She was grateful to feel it on her face, too, as she quietly whispered, “Nana, thank you for everything.”

Sandy Brannan, author of Becoming Invisible, So Much Stays Hidden, Masquerade, and Frozen in Time, teaches middle and high school English. She also is a contributing writer for The Real Deal of Parenting and Her View From Home. Sandy’s idea of a perfect day is one spent creating memories with her grandchildren. This usually includes coloring and reading a lot of books. You can read more of her work on her blog at sandybrannan.com. Sandy is also active on social media at facebook.com/sandybrannanauthor and instagram.com/sandybrannanauthor. You can follow her on Amazon at amazon.com/author.sandybrannan.