Sway Calmly With the Wind (creative writing)

(an excerpt from a writing task about personification of an inanimate object)

Today, a dog peed on me.

I am saying this not because it is my first time, trust me it’s not, but I just noticed how happy the dog looked. He peed and continued to stroll away on a leash with its owner. Getting a glimpse of moments like these are some of the few reasons why I love being a tree.

From where I stand, every day, I gaze upon a beautiful sunrise. And every. Single. Day. I can feel my hair (or what they call leaves) sway calmly with the wind as if greeting the huge round ball of flame with excitement and awe. It energizes me. Sometimes, I’m convinced that it transfers its vibrance to me, making my body strong and healthy. But I know one thing for sure — all of us trees love the Sun.

I face a huge house and a side-by-side trail of houses beside that. It’s a community where families live together, and for years I’ve learned all the names and faces of everyone living around here. I’ve come to love everything about this place, except for my flawed self.

I always envy those huge tall trees surrounding me — like the Coconut tree from the one to my right as well as the Rambutan and Mango trees on my left side. Not only can they bear fruits but they also have a better view than me, with their long branches touching the sky. Who knows, there might be more tall trees out there but they are too far out of my sight. I, myself, am a short but sturdy Narra tree. I do not bear fruits, but instead, I bear bright yellow flowers and I cannot offer anything but give shade to the passersby.

Although now, I am slowly learning to love myself and my form. As a tree who is shorter than the others, I have a few treasures and moments I keep as my own, like those children who climb up to my branches just to swing by or hangout, or maybe those times when people hurriedly and gleefully run towards me to find shelter underneath my thick branches when the rain instantly decides to fall. Not to mention the birds who would constantly knock on my trunk for whoever knows why—maybe they want to communicate with me. It hurts my wooden body a bunch but it’s better than having no company.

All throughout my life, I constantly find myself looking forward to these small events. And for the years to come, all I want is to give to humans what I can. May it be my leaves, my flowers, my trunk, or even my whole wooden body for their consumption if need be. But for now, all I will do is sway my leaflets with the wind and carry on by the sights of humans and other species spending happy moments together. 

And maybe in return, I can be a comfort room to a few—like that one out of the million dogs—or maybe just pure comfort to some.