I am a silent witness. I can't express words like ordinary people. I can only be silent while watching and feeling something complicated. Standing alone watching you play, joke, laugh, cry, yell at each other, and whatever you do.
I am a silent witness to your lives. Even so, I can only see you from where I stand. I can't move freely like you. I can only stand here and sometimes you don't care if I exist or not. But, I can't protest about it and can only be silent.
You know what? I want to scream so that you pay attention to me and make you realize that I exist. I want to laugh and ask you to invite me to play too, when you play around me. I want to cry and scream when you break parts of me, scratch names or abstract pictures on my body, and destroy me. Even far away, there are some of you who kill my friends. What's our fault?
As time goes by, I grow like you who are getting older. My body is getting taller and bigger. That's when I could see this place more widely. You guys are just like dwarves to me. But, you still always win over me. I always give up when you start to hurt me because nothing I can do. Do you know how painful this is?
As time goes by, my crowns start to change color. They start to come off my body. Slowly falling down following the wind that blows it. I see them like birds flying with the wind. Peaceful. Will I die like that? My soul carried away by the wind to somewhere?
When I feel like it's time for me to leave this world, a little girl approaches me. She looks at me with sad eyes. I smile sadly seeing her, but my heart feels warm like warm water starting to flow inside my body. That girl... she realizes my presence.
"Papa, it looks thirsty," she said to an adult man while pointing at me.
"No, honey. It's like that because it's old," the man said.
I agree with what the man said. True. I'm old. I don't deserve to be here anymore. I will only bring bad luck to them. Sooner or later.
“Dad, look, there are many scratches on its body. It must hurt a lot,” said the girl while rubbing the scratches.
“You’re right. It must have been in pain all this time,” said the man.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. Please forgive the people who did this to you,” said the girl while hugging me.
I was silent. My heart began to cry. It turned out that there were still people who cared about me. Of the many people who passed by my eyes, it turned out that there were still some who considered me. I was happy and sad at the same time. Happy because I finally found someone who cared about me, sad because I had to leave them soon. Why did I only find someone like this when I was at the end of my life.
“Dad, I will be their protector. I don’t want to see them like this. This is sad. The teacher said they are also living creatures like us. If so, they deserve to live like us. They shouldn’t be hurt like this, Dad,” she said. I was touched to hear her words.
I wanted to hug this little girl, but I couldn’t. I wanted to thank her, but I couldn’t. I could only remain silent. Listening to their conversation and crying alone.
“Okay. You will definitely be their great protector. These trees will be very grateful to you,” said the man while gently stroking the little girl’s head. I smiled in agreement.
Little girl.. Thank you for having the intention to protect trees like me. Hopefully you can realize your intention. Thank you for giving me a sense of peace at the end of my life. I want to accompany you growing up and be your silent witness. However, I’m sorry I can’t.
Now I can die peacefully like my crown that came off my body and was blown away by the wind. My crown that you usually call leaves. Changed color to brownish yellow and fell. I closed my eyes and I felt drawn to leave my body and leave this world.
Please take care of my friends who are still living in this world with you, oh humans. Give them pleasure so they can enjoy their lives in this world with you. Thank you.
Greetings,
shady tree on the edge of the lake, the silent witness.
