Once laying down on the grass beside my garden I see a leaf from a flower fall off. The thought comes to my mind "why do flowers lose their leaves?" As I breathe in the thought, I look at my mother, who was watering the garden, and I ask her the question I thought to myself and she answers "It is a race for who can be the last one standing." My mother looks at me and gives a soft laugh and I have a feeling she saw my puzzled facial expression since I have no clue what she meant earlier. As I stand up, I head over to a wooden bench and sit down. My mother turns off the water hoses and joins my side. I start to lean against her shoulder as she gently strokes my hair. Everytime she strokes my head I know it indicates she is going to tell me a long lost story.
Mother starts her story; "Long ago fairies were small just like insects and had the ability to speak to any animal, plant, and element. There was once a fairy as curious as you, but her name was Ivy. Her wings were clear as air, in fact it seemed like she had no wings at all. One day her classmates were bullying her for the color of her wings. Claiming she is not a real fairy since she has no wings ! So it led Ivy to run out of school and ended up finding shade besides a flower. The flower hears Ivy crying and asks her "Why do you cry little one?" Ivy looks up and sees the flower and responds; "My classmates continuously make fun of my wings for its color." The flower responds, "if you have the ability to fly and keep them intact it should not matter what they say to you." Ivy looks at the flower and sees it has lost some leaves and the rest are brown and dry. She asked the flower, "do you get bullied for your leaves the way I get teased about my wings?" Ivy tears start to dry her tears away as she asks such a question. The flower grins. "I'm one of the few who has the privilege of their leaves to fall off of them." Ivy was confused why this was such an honor. The flower grins again by seeing Ivy's perplexed look. "Leaves falling from a flower like me does not mean death, but the beginning of a new life."
"Beginning of a new life?" Ivy whispers to herself what the flower had told her. "Kade" the flower interrupts Ivy's thoughts, and says "My name is Kade. I think it's important for you to know before I share with you a story of tradition. A tradition of what my kind goes through in order for future generations of flowers to live." Ivy gives a soft smile and introduces herself " My name is Ivy Weather-" "You are a fairy from the tribe of weather" Kade interrupts. "You have heard of my tribe?" Ivy asked. "Your tribe is the reason why my kind and any other of us live. You are the piece that puts us all together." After he finishes informing her he bows down and tells her "You should not hide away from your bullies, for your wings have a great significance for us plants, animals, and elements." Ivy beams and straightens her back with confidence and requests "Thank you for your wondrous words. Now, please tell me about this tradition of yours." Kade smirks, "Flowers' leaves falling do represent death, as well as life."
Kade breathes in and exhales. "I suggest you find an old leaf to lay on or sit on a root because this will be tiresome." As Ivy looks around, a leaf falls from top and falls on top of her head. To her surprise the leaf is from Kade, so she decides to lay on it. Kade smiles and clears his throat to speak. "It is to be said that flowers that bloom first are the most privileged in the plant world. To outsiders it is the last flower that is the most beautiful of all. However, that is wrong for our kind, it is a saying to not make the Last bloom be too harsh on themselves. It is so they can feel some significance in their participation. We are taught since we are seeds; that being the first to bloom, and all our leaves falling, is a honor to be united back with the Earth since that is the best way of living. We understand, when our leaves withers; so do our lives.
However, we are told once our leaves fall, it returns back to the soil and reunites with our old seed. The leaf becomes a guidance for the seeds behind. The seeds; are our sisters and brothers. Our parents abandoned us and decided to fully become part of a tree. I am their first seed, whose roots' my parents protected. The first child means I'm the eldest sibling. My kind, who bloom first, are called the "The Seeds Guidence." We are the ones that step out first of the siblings to see if this world is safe enough for the rest. Since our parents do not guide us any longer. My job as the "The seeds guidence" is to observe and drop my leaves in a safe place that can help my siblings grow stronger than me and live longer. Once I drop my leaves for the destined spot I use my roots to push a seed towards that location that is a better chance of my siblings survival. After I finish moving the seeds in their new destined spots I cover the seeds with my roots to protect them from creatures trying to eat them or the water moving them. This job is selfless and requires sacrifice. I sacrifice my own happiness and life, for my siblings. It is a job I will be forever thankful for." Ivy stands angrily. "How can you let yourself wither away? Just for siblings?" Kade smiles and asks " I can see you do not know what it is like to love your siblings truly. You cannot have any more siblings, siblings are irreplaceable." Kade continues "you can have more children, and wives, or husbands, and friends. Siblings on the other hand are something you cannot replace just like your mother and father." Ivy gives a shake of disapproval. "I can tell you are kind but why sacrifice yourself? Why not just grow and be happy?" Kade gives a small chuckle. "And what? Let my siblings fend for themselves? Let them figure out life?" Kade scoffs. "I did not have anyone guiding me and I spent my time surviving the rain, the wind, and the sun. Craving a place to shelter myself to be safe. However, sheltering myself did not help me grow but was making me wither without significance." Ivy reaches to touch his steam and all Kade does is just stare at the sun. "I need to step outside of my comfort zone and grow. I wish someone would have been there for me when I went through this trouble. I wished someone had marked a leaf for me and moved my seed. No one did. Not even my parents so why would I do that to my own siblings?" His eyes looks like tears would start to roll down any second. Ivy turns away from him since she could not bare to see her new friend cry. "I am truly sorry Kade." Ivy says and she runs away. Tears fell from her eyes. All she can think about is how unjust this world that they live in. "Why? Why? WHY! Why do bad things happen to those who are good?" Ivy thinks to herself. "Why did I get to meet Kade and know my only friend is willing to wither away from others? For dumb siblings." Once she arrives at her school the teachers scolds her for running away during school period. Ivy, however, can care less what Mrs. Herbert had to say. Her mind was too occupied by Kade. Thinking to find a solution to free him from unbareable life.