Hey, friends!
So, this past week we had our last class trip before graduation, and let me just say—what a trip it was! We ventured to one of the most mystical places in our region, the Tree of Life and Death. Yeah, you read that right: life and death. No, it's not as morbid as it sounds (well, maybe a little bit). It's an ancient, enchanted tree that stands at the boundary between the realms of the living and the dead. A fascinating place, to say the least!
Now, don't go thinking this was some kind of "typical" field trip. We weren't just staring at a tree all day. Oh no, there's way more to it than that. The Tree of Life and Death is a living, breathing wonder of nature—literally. The leaves on its branches shimmer in colors you've never seen before (I'm talking shades of violet and teal that don't even exist in the normal spectrum). The tree itself has a way of making you feel really… small in the best way. It's like standing in the presence of something that's seen everything—all of time, all of history, and all of the magic in between.
The trip was meant to be educational—because what says "education" more than standing next to a magical tree that can communicate with spirits?—but, like any class trip, things didn't go exactly as planned. Flit, of course, was being her usual mischievous self, flying around and whispering secrets to the tree like she was besties with it. She even claimed she got a "message" from the spirit of an ancient elf who used to tend to the tree (I'm pretty sure it was just the wind, but who's to say). Pip spent most of the time trying to convince the local squirrels that the tree's bark was a gourmet snack, but unfortunately, they weren't buying it.
We learned a lot about the history of the tree, how it connects the living world to the spirit world, and the delicate balance between life and death. It's a place of reverence for our community, and we were lucky to be there. Our teacher, Professor Willowbranch (who's as old as the tree, by the way), taught us all about the rituals performed by our ancestors. There's this beautiful tradition where fairies from the past leave a piece of their magic behind on the tree to help guide future generations. Pretty cool, right? Imagine having a whole part of you be alive forever in the roots of the Tree of Life and Death.
But of course, Flit had other plans. Halfway through the trip, she convinced us to sneak into the "forbidden" part of the tree's roots (don't tell Professor Willowbranch). That's where the "death" part of the tree comes in—it's said that the roots hold the memories of those who have passed. As we were sneaking around, I'll admit I got a little spooked. There's this eerie feeling you get when you're close to something so ancient and full of secrets. I could've sworn I heard a whisper calling my name—but I'm pretty sure it was just Flit playing another prank. I'm still not entirely convinced though...
In the end, it was a wonderful trip. Even though we didn't really stick to the itinerary, it was one of those experiences that I'll remember forever. I mean, who else can say they've touched the roots of a tree that holds the balance between life and death? And as we left the tree, I couldn't help but feel really grateful for the magic in our world. There's so much we don't understand yet, but that's what makes life (and death) so intriguing.
So, I guess that's one last educational adventure before graduation! No more field trips, no more "last-minute" assignments, and no more sneaking into forbidden places... or, you know, I'll try not to. 😜
Next week's the big day. I can hardly believe it, but I'm definitely ready for whatever comes next. Maybe I'll be back with some graduation day stories (or maybe more sneaky adventures... who knows?).
Until next time,
Dawn 🌿✨