The Journey of Little Willow

Once upon a time in the world of great trees, there was a grove in the middle of a forest, which was lit with beams of sunlight. Beside the giants of the trees, the mighty oaks and the hushed pines, there sprouted a new life in the form of a sapling known as Willow. Willow was not just any ordinary tree; in fact she was a young tree who aspired to touch the sky and go out into the world.

Right from the onset, Willow encountered very significant challenges. The trees around her grew so tall that heads of most of them overshadowed the sky, and she found herself lost in the shade. They chatted to her and they once said to her that the sky was so big and how beautiful the stars were. Desire and expectations were written on the tiny leaves of Willow. She would walk around the house and say to herself, “One day, one day I’ll be tall and see it all.”

Willow was a determined girl, but reaching her goal was far from a piece of cake for her. In the course of seasons, she had to experience the bitterness of a frosty season. The strongly cold winds blew in the forest and it snowed during the period. Willow shivered and wrapped her leaves around herself as tight as she could trying to warm herself up. This was so because she heard the life experiences of other trees that had survived many seasons and they inspired her. This prompted her to think, “If those people can perform those actions, then I too can do it.”


The arrival of spring brought with it a bloom of vitality. To the touch, Willow saw the energy of the sun in her roots and absorbed the rain. She lifted her branches a little more, her leaves expanding to welcome the ray of light. It was during this period that she came across Oliver, a wise old oak tree. Oliver had followed many years in the forest and had become one of the largest trees of the forest.

“Oliver, how do you manage to grow so tall and muscly?” Willow once questioned him one day when she decided to pay him a visit in curiosity and admiration.

Oliver’s branches rustled lightly as he spoke. "Patience, little one. Growing takes time. That is the warmth of the sun, the softness of the rain, and even the hurricanes that help shape up who we are. Take each and every season as it is and never forget that every little fight moulds you into a stronger person.

Willow did reflect on what Oliver said to him and he decided to abide by the words of wisdom. She embraced the sun that embraces us each morning, the rain that feeds us daily, and the problems that confront us. Once, during the summer, one night a heavy storm came through the forest. The thunderstorm opened up above, the lightning flashing across the darkened clouds and the thunder rumbling menacingly. Willow stayed embedded to the ground with her roots holding her firmly down as the wind threatened to pull her up. The lights flickered and went out, but Willow’s character was determined. But when the storm was over, Willow was erect and rooted more securely than before.

Years passed by and Willow just went on to expand its operations. She struggled with droughts, storms, and even nibbling deers once in a while. All of them challenged her and strengthened her spirit at the same time. She listened to Oliver and enjoyed every opportunity that was given to her even if it was hard to handle.


It was a clear autumn morning when Willow realized that she saw something quite special. It was then that she was able to look around and beyond the vast forest that they found themselves in. Stretching ahead of her was one big line on the water’s surface – orange, pink, and gold. The sky was over their head like an ocean without a shore, and she felt a spontaneous admiration. She was now old enough to leave the shelter of the trees and view the world around her.

With overwhelming gratitude, Willow said to the wind, “Thank you for the struggles, which taught me how to grow strong; thank you for the lessons; thank you for the strength, Because now I can see the world and the world is indeed beautiful.”

Willow’s simple yet appealing story was carried through the forest thus encouraging other saplings to grow towards the sky. They admired her – those children – as they looked up at the tall tree, but they also saw strength and belief in a better tomorrow. Willow kept getting bigger, her limbs stretched out further now shielding animals in the forest from the scorching sun.

Once upon a time, a young tree named Sprout asked the same question to Will, the enchanted willow tree.

Some of the leaves as well as the branches of the willow squeaked with laughter. “Change is life, dear Sprout. Each day, something new is upon us and there is much more to explore. So long as I have sky overhead and earth beneath me, I shall continue to grow.”

Sprout sighed and nodded, his miniature green leaves coated with dew. He glanced at Willow and rather stared in adoration, his heart suffused with the passion he saw in Willow in the past. ”I want to grow to be as big as you Willow and go and travel the world.

Willow extended her branches toward Sprout’s leaves in a friendly hug kind of gesture. “You will, Sprout. Just remember, be patient, embrace every challenge, and never stop reaching for the sky.”

As the climate kept on changing from one season to another, Willow and Sprout developed together. Birds sang, leaves hushed, and trees spoke in a tone of the forest. Willow long suffering, tale of hope is the story of the saplings’ journey which motivated generations to yearn for the impossible dreams and achieve them.

And so, in the heart of the ancient forest, where the sun was filtering through the leaves and the shadows were playing on the ground, the story of Willow went on—a story of growth, strength, and sky-high ideals.