My Dear Friend Helga

"My birthday had been ruined, I stormed away with tears in my eyes."

When I was very young my grandpa gave me a pear tree for my birthday, I was humiliated and angry. All of the other children were given toys and other delightful, exciting gifts on their birthdays...why did I get a boring, dumb ol' pear tree? I walked away, leaving my grandpa holding his precious gift.

After a few moments, he came and sat down beside me. "I can see that you're upset and disappointed." he apologized. "I know that you don't understand right now, but this pear tree is the most amazing gift that I could possibly give to you." I huffed "I told you that I wanted something huge and special, not a lousy, miserable tree" I spouted. "But Becca, this little pear tree will grow into something huge and special one day" he attempted to explain. "How about we give it a name and plant it together" he happily suggested.

"Helga, name it Helga." I yowled. Grandpa laughed "Now why do you want to name your tree Helga?" he questioned. "Because I hate that cartoon and I hate this dumb tree." I angrily cried. "Becca darling, come sit down and let me explain something to you." he reached out and wrapped his arm around me.

"You see, Helga here is a magical tree. She'll grow up with you so you'll never be alone. Anytime that you need to talk or tell a secret, Helga will be right here waiting for you. I'm willing to bet that someday you'll have your very first kiss beneath her branches. She'll feed you too, you'll never have to worry about being hungry or thirsty as long as Helga is here. Fresh, warm pear pies and sweet, fizzy pear tea tastes better than anything else in the whole world. You can pick the fruit right off of her limbs and eat it while you sit and rest in her shade."

• Fizzy Pear Tea Recipe Here
• Fresh Pear Pie Recipe Here

"Just look over there at that boring little birthday party, when Helga grows up you can put balloons and tassels on her limbs. You can cover her branches with bright, beautiful, twinkling lights and tie ribbons and pretty bows all over her if you want to. This little tree will be your very best friend, just wait and see."

"Becca, close your eyes and imagine a young bride who is wearing the most beautiful wedding dress that you can possibly imagine. There's a handsome young man standing beneath a tree that is covered in white lace and shimmering lights. See your mama standing beside you holding those bright red roses that you love so dearly? Your daddy is holding your hand with a smile on his face as he wipes the happy years away from your eyes. That's you sweet Becca....someday you might even get married right here beside Helga."

We planted Helga together on that Spring afternoon, but I still didn't like that tree.

Helga grew and grew as did I and over the years I learned to love her. The sweetest pears that I had ever eaten came from her branches and I had even learned how to make sweet, fizzy pear tea.

It was a cool Autumn morning when the family gathered together beneath Helga's bright orange and red leaves. I had wrapped small twinkling lights on her limbs and they sparkled like diamonds on my grandpa's mist-covered casket. As the tears fell from my swollen eyes I recalled every single word that he had told me about Helga so many years ago. Each and every word that he had so delicately whispered to me had come true.

Helga knew all of my deepest secrets. She had been my shelter through the roughest storms of growing up. I found my very first kiss one Summer night beneath the cover of her branches and I said "I do" standing right beneath her beautiful, delicate Spring blooms.

I walked away leaving my grandpa to rest beneath the most precious gift that he could have ever given to me. My dear friend Helga.

For the past four years, I have watched my daughter grow and thrive with Helga. Someday soon I will tell her just how important that this tree will be in her life too.