Story dedicated to Klicel

Dear Readers,

Freddie the Leaf is one of a kind inspirational story that really touched my heart and it really brought tears to my eyes... I bought this small book from a National Bookstore 10 years ago! Until now, i never got tired of reading it over and over again especially when i felt hard times in my life...

@klicel, this story is dedicated to you, hope you liked it! Here it goes...
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THERE WAS ONCE a leaf named Freddie... He first appeared in Spring as a small sprout on a large branch near the top of a tall tree. As days go by, he grown large, his mid section became wide and strong and his five extentions became firm and pointed..

Freddie was sorrounded by hundreds of other leaves just like himself. Soon he discovered that no two leaves were alike, eventhough they were on the same tree. Alfred was next to him. Ben was the leaf on his right side and Clare was the lovely leaf over head. They had all grown up together. They had learned to dance in the Spring breezes, bask lazily in the Summer sun and wash off in the cooling rains..

But it was Daniel who was Freddie's bestfriend! He was the large leaf on the limb and seemed to have been there before anyone else. It appeared to Freddie that Daniel was also the wisest among them. It was Daniel who told them that they were a part of a tree. It was also him who explained that they were growing in a public park, and the tree had strong roots which were hidden in the ground below. He explained about the birds who came to sit on their branches and sing morning songs. He also explained the sun, the moon, the stars and the seasons!

Freddie loved being a leaf. He loved his branch, his light leafy friends, his place high in the sky, the wind the jostled him about, the sun rays that warmed him, the moon that covered him soft white shadows! Summer had been especially nice. The long hot days felt good and the warm nights were peaceful and dreamy!

Freddie especially liked the old people. They sat so quietly on the cool grass and hardly ever moved. They talked in whispers of time past. The children were fun too, eventhough they sometimes tore holes in the bark of the tree or carved their names on it. Still it was fun to watch them moved so fast and laughed so much!

But Freddie's summer soon passed. It vanished on an October night. Cold wind blown hard that night and all the leaves shivered with the cold! They were coated with a thin layer of white snow which quickly melted and left them dew drenched and sparkling in the morning sun! Again, it was Daniel who explained to them that they had experienced their first frost, the sign that it was Fall and the Winter would come soon...

Soon the whole tree, in fact the whole park was transformed into a blaze color... There was hardly a green leaf left! Alfred had turned a deep yellow. Ben had come a bright orange. Clare had become a blazing red. Daniel, a deep purple and Freddie became red, gold and blue! How beautiful they looked, they had made the tree looked rainbow!

"Why did we turned different colors, when we are on the same tree?" Freddie asked.

"Each of us is different. We had different experiences. We have faced the sun differently." Daniel said.

One day, a very strange thing happend! A strong wind came and started pulling and pushing their stems like it was so angry! This caused some leaves to be torn from their branches and swept up in the wind, toosed about and dropped softly to the ground... All the leaves became frightened!

"What's happening?" they asked each other in whispers.

"Its what happens in Fall!" Daniel told them.

"Its the time for leaves to change their home. Some people called it to die!"

"Will we all die?" Freddie asked.

"Yes!" Daniel answered.

"Everything dies. No matter how big or small, how weak or strong! We first experience the sun and the moon, the wind and the rain. We learn to dance and to laugh. Then we die!"

"I won't die!" said Freddie with strong determination.

"Will you, Daniel?"

"Yes, when its my time!" answered Daniel.

"When is that?" asked Freddie.

"No one knows for sure!" Daniel responded!

Freddie noticed that the other leaves continued to fall. He thought it must be their time He saw some of the leaves lashed back at the wind before they fell, others simply let go and dropped quietly. Soon the tree looked
almost bare!

"I am afraid to die... I don't know what's down there!" Freddie told Daniel.

"We all fear what we don't know, Freddie. It's natural!" Daniel reassured him.

"Yet, you were not afraid when Summer became Fall. They were natural changes. So, why are you afraid of the season of Death?"

"Does the tree die too?" Freddie asked again.

"Someday. But there is something stronger than the tree. It's life that lasts forever and we are all part of life!" said Daniel.

"Where will we go when we die?"

"No one knows for sure! That's the great mystery!"

"Will we return in the Spring?"

"We may not, but life will!"

"Then, what has been the reason for all of this? Why we're here at all if we only have to fall or die?" Freddie continued to question!

Daniel answered...

"It's been about the shade and the old people and the children... It's been about colors of Fall. It's about seasons! Isn't that enough?"

That afternoon, in the golden light of dusk, Daniel let go. He fell effortlessly. He seemed to smile peacefully as he fell.

"Goodbye for now, Freddie!" he said.

Now, Freddie was all alone, the only leaf on the  branches. The first snow fell the following morning. It was soft, white and gentle; but it was bitter cold. There was hardly any sun that day, and the day was very short. Freddie found himself losing his colors, and became brittle. It was constantly cold and the snow weighed heavily upon him!

At dawn the wind came that took Freddie from his branch It didn't hurt at all. He felt himself float quietly, gently and softly downward. As he fell, he saw the whole tree for the first time. How strong and firm it was. He was sure that it would live for a long time and he know that he had been part of its life and made him proud...
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the end.

MORAL LESSON:

Dear friends,

Freddie the leaf is a story of life for all ages, written by Leo Buscalgia... He is an award winning author from the US,.. He is so great in writing inspirational stories... His writings were so simple, yet the thought really captured the heart of millions around the world... For sure, i really looked up to him as one of my great inspiration in writing inspirational stories...

Well, i hoped you guys, got inspired with the story like me! The story of Freddie the leaf, teaches us that death shouldn't be feared of... It will come to us in due time wether we like it or not! All we need is the courage to accept it and to face it... We can't escape death no matter what we do... So as much as we are still alive, lets not waste time... Lets enjoy every minute of it,. As much as possible, lets do good deeds to others, and be good example! So, if someday we die, we can live footfprints of good memories and proud to tell the world the we' re worthy wth the life we have been part of...

-marwa angela enrique