I watched it day in and day out, just like the way I watched the sky above and the ground below.It was a part of my life. But never realized, that, unlike the sky and the earth, this tree will cease to exist, that too so soon!! A silent spectator, who participated in everything that happened in my house. A willing model who posed for my pictures. I know the critters that climbed this tree, the birds that perched atop..the regular one and the rare one..It was just a slender stick with a scanty green crown when I first saw it 4 years ago when we moved in here. But soon it spread its branches with rich green bunches and grew in to a young handsome tree. It survived the storm that year, (got uprooted and planted back) and evolved in to an adult tree with strong trunk. It grew day by day and I was amazed by the nature, which has made these plants that grow to enrich the earth with minimum/nil care. Within three years it has reached a height of nearly 20 m. And this summer it blossomed for the first time. It was a wonderful scene. The shocking red may flowers swaying amidst the light green lovely leaves was a treat to the eyes. Standing out in the balcony watching this tree by itself is an experience on its own I reckon.
And everything was short lived..like all good things come to end soon, this tree which is very vulnerable, got a blow yesterday from the sudden thunder storm and fell again. This time, it was not possible to replant it for it has broken off from the prime root. Four year old tree dying is very sad indeed...but in a city where mother earth is dear, such trees cannot survive, as they need a sprawling area to spread their shallow roots. Anyway, I am sure to cherish the pleasant time I had with this tree and going to miss it terribly in coming days.