The maple tree before my house was seeded in this ragged lawn before I lived here, and it has grown steadily over these years. This beauty is likely much older than I’ve ever given her credit for. And yet here again, this May, her gnarled, lichen-covered branches are sprouting green again, with the tenderest of leaves.
I love that mystery; I love that rebirth; I love that change. One of my most favorite endings in a novel is Akhil Sharma’s Family Life, at once simple and exquisite, while throwing the reader back into the depths of the novel, the infinitely deep, living sea.
That was when I knew I had a problem.
– Akhil Sharma
Stony Soil Vermont 
Brett, you have given me joy today. Remembering life’s tender mysteries. Even an old, gnarly oak is still beautiful. Wish we could remember that when we’re talking with old people. They are gnarly for sure, but their souls are still as vibrant as the day they were born. Thank you for the joy today, Brett. Peace.
In turn, thank you so much! I am so pleased to hear my writing has given a stranger some happiness. Best to you, Brett