Dear Human

Dear Human,

I can sense you standing right under me, relaxing in the cool breeze and this has made me wonder, what created the gap between us.

When I was planted, I remember being unable to withstand the most gentlest of breeze. The rains too were a beautiful time, to rejoice and soak in all the water it had to give me, but I stood no chance in front of the floods. I sensed my fellow saplings get washed away into nothingness and never return. I’m forever in your debt for building the brick fence around me, to protect me. As time passed by, I grew and grew big and more efficient. I’m a TREE now.

Today, I silently help clear up the messes you create. I filter out not only carbon dioxide but also the toxic fumes that you produce all so that you can breathe well. But this world is changing, you are changing, and with all your newer chemicals, I’m afraid I won't be enough to help keep the air clean. At the same time you are senselessly considering cutting me down, I who neutralizes most of your greenhouse gases, I who provides a major sink for the carbon dioxide you so gleefully generate. I provide all of this and even give you your oxygen, the life giving oxygen you definitely cannot live without. Won’t you suffocate without me?

Like you shielded me with the brick wall from washing in the floods, I grew up to become bigger, stronger and efficient enough to protect your home from strong winds. I stop the ground you built on from getting eroded with my root. I conserve the rain water for your summers and even I provide you a cool and calm atmosphere at no price. I help you keep healthy and care for your wellbeing but you won’t mind getting rid of me?

This gap between us has been growing for some time, you no longer value what I have to offer. But before you decide to finally turn your back to me, I want to warn you, killing me won’t help you in the long run. The scorching sun and the heavy rains are not as forgiving as I am nor are they accommodating.

I can only hope that you listen to my sincere pleas, afterall you are the smartest of all beings on this planet. Pity if that were all to go waste.

Yours

The-Tree-Next-Door

Translated by

Monalisa Mukherjee

Programme Assistant