Dance of the Trees

Each time I am walking along the streets, and I feel a breeze. I will stop. I will look up. And there before my eyes will be played out the dance of the trees. It is a truly amazing sight, for no two dances are ever alike. And you are never forewarned of a dance. It just happens whenever the wind feels like visiting. Everything comes as a surprise, and that makes it all the more exciting.

Whenever a wind drifts by, the trees will perform on cue. In a raw expression of motion, they stretch their branches out to the sky. The branches are then swayed to and fro at random. And yet, there is grace. They gently lean with the wind, their control impeccable. The leaves fall from their face, stopping in their tracks those who notice. If even only for a while.

At times, they may sing along. The rustling of leaves rise in volume together with the intensity of the wind. And the stronger the wind, the more intense is their dance. The more passionate the dance, the louder the sound. The combination is strange. There is neither melody nor harmony. The dance does not lead the music, nor does the music lead the dance. Both seem to understand what the other wants and react accordingly.

If in the night, you may be lucky to see the trees illuminated by the yellow streetlamps. The light glistens off the surface of the trees, and moves along together with the tree. From afar, it appears as if it were an aurora borealis. The light softens the edges of the trees so that leaf and branches become indistinguishable. All you see is a figure of gold, yellow light.

And such is the intricacies of the dance of the trees. And I look forward to it every December period, during the monsoons.

For me, December is a very lovely month. The trees dance, the skies pour forth life-giving water, the earth is cooled, the children fill the streets with joy and laughter and the year behind is etched forever into the history of time with a new chapter ready to be opened. It is a time of promise, of beauty and of joy. But perhaps, in another post...