The old oak stood at the edge of the clearing, its branches like gnarled fingers reaching for the sky. Maya had always loved that tree. As a child, she’d spend hours beneath its shade, imagining creatures in the patterns of its bark. She’d carve her initials, M.L., into it, an act of defiance as a teen. The Oak was her sanctuary, a place where she felt safe and understood.
As years passed, Maya grew up and moved to the city. This new life was far removed from the quiet solitude of the country. The memories of the old oak faded, replaced by the relentless demands of her career and the fast-paced urban existence. She rarely thought of her childhood or the small country town she’d left behind.
Then, one day, a letter arrived. It was from her grandmother. She wrote of the old oak, how it still stood, a silent sentinel, and how it seemed to be calling for her to return. A wave of nostalgia washed over Maya. She realized how much she missed the quiet, the country, and the tree.
She drove back the next weekend. The city receded in her rearview mirror, replaced by rolling hills and the familiar scent of pine. As she neared the clearing, her heart quickened. There it was. The old oak.
She walked towards it, her hand outstretched, and touched the rough bark. Her fingers traced the familiar grooves, and then, she saw them. Her initials. M.L. They were still there.
The sight of those letters, a relic of her childhood self, brought tears to her eyes. All the years, all the distance, seemed to collapse in that single moment. She was no longer the driven city dweller, but the young girl who found solace in the heart of the woods.
She leaned against the trunk, the rough bark against her back, as she stood at the edge of the clearing, its branches like gnarled fingers still reaching for the sky.
The End…(maybe)
The Calling of Places: How Roots In The Landscape Shape Who We Are – an AI-Generated audio overview of “The Oak Tree”
Fictionista 
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Ooh, This is good, Darnell! Your large oak madeleine was finely rendered with picturesque and emotionally satisfying prose, and the audio critique of what “the source” was doing was witty and wise. Was it the photo that sparked your creativity?
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It was a writer in my group that inspired this piece. What she described in her childhood made me realize that carving initials in a tree is so much better than signing contracts at work. Thank you for your thoughts.
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Well, the picture is a wonderful enhancement.
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Really beautifully done, Darnell! The words are so well done, and also the audio is so clever. Fab… I would say!
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Thanks Chris! I love the initials are still visible on the tree.
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Lovely! We all yearn to recoup the adandon of our youth. Gratefully, memories allow us to escape our lives to visit our younger selves.
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Yes. Those memories keep us young at heart. Thanks for your thoughts .
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