Gulmohar...The growing years...

Days seemed to fly by, as there was so much of joy all around. Rose used to be busy with only Fia and the daily chores related to her care. She would spend the entire day with her baby, sometimes giggling around seeing Fia's naughty gestures and sometimes worriedly running around for her food, bib or those tiny socks. The window of Fia's playroom opened right in front of me, and I would spend hours on end just watching her, trying to listen to her soft gurgled baby talk. When Rose would be rush out of room to fetch something, Fia would fix her eyes on my swaying leaves and feel the cool breeze. At other times, of course, she would enjoy her mother's cuddly warm embrace. Over the months, she was growing into a beautiful baby, just as a tiny bud blossoming into a lovely flower. And I, standing by this corner, would start my mornings with cries of Baby Fia.

Her eyes were now more prominent, crystal clear soft blue eyes, which you would like to see forever. Being 4 months old, she could barely twist and turn on bed. Yet she would move her little hands and toes, as if wanting to play around with all that she saw in her room. Her tiny mouth would utter some gurgled sounds, which were more dear to me than a love song.

Whenever Rose would bring her into the garden, I would slowly sway my branches to shower red flowers from my branches. This would always draw her attention and she would look at me with her big clear blue eyes. And then she would gurgle a sweet little "Aaaw gu gu aaw" - only she knowing the meaning of this cute sound!

After spring season, I was bare with very few leaves. Yet as I awaited new leaves, the summer season had become less tolerant for a baby. And so Rose would stay indoors during the day, and come out with Fia only during the evenings. So a considerable time would be lost during the day and I would excitedly await evenings. And all this while love, care and concern for Fia kept on increasing.

Summer too passed away and Monsoons began. And began a stretch of lonesome days, when I would hope for rains to stop and see my little sunshine...

Gulmohar... First Conversation with Fia

Winter was going on, when this little sunshine was born. It was quite cold out in the open, so most of the times the mother and baby would keep indoors. But on sunnier days, Rose would come out with Fia firmly cuddled in her arms. She had placed two chairs in the garden, and had pulled one of them closer to me. She sat down gently and was beaming with a soft motherly smile, holding Fia and humming the most beautiful songs one would have ever heard. Fia too had her sparkling soft baby eyes fixed on her mother, as if trying to guess what she was humming. Both were enjoying a sunny day in winter. All this while I was trying to catch a full glimpse of Fia and when I could, she had slept off. Even then, it was a heavenly sight to see this little cherub, cozily sleeping in the warm bosom of her mother. Fia was the most beautiful baby I had seen till now. Her soft angelic face, little almond shaped fingers, peach and cream pearl colour. I was just awestruck at this little, fragile creation of God!

That day I really wished being a human being. So that I could have touched her, felt her soft little fingers, kissed her gently on her small forehead and kept her in my arms and sung a lullaby. But Alas! I was a tree, and could have just hoped for all this. Yet, I thought for once, that I could still make her feel my presence close to her. So what if I can't take her in my arms, at least she can feel me. I dropped a small leaflet from my branch, the softest one, which landed right on her forehead. Fia felt the gentle leaf and just drooped her drowsy eyes and slept back again. She gave a small yet sleepy unconscious smile. Upon seeing this, Rose gently took off the leaf and put her gentle hand on Fia's forehead.

This was our first unconscious, unspoken and in a manner unknown conversation. But that's how deepest relations are. They exist nowhere, yet one day, they touch your heart deeply. This was the beginning of a life full of sunshine & smile. A life I would never again wish to exchange with anyone, not even, a human ......