With the birth of his son, Howard planted an apple seed. Season upon season, each evening as Nash grew, they’d sit to admire the tree and discuss their day.
All too soon, Nash sat alone reviewing what had passed each day. As the apple fell, so the many years passed.
Nash shared his moments with his children, the tree strong and full. In time, his children grown, Nash was again solitary.
With the passing of time, the once great tree grew old, its branches fading as the days faded for Nash. With the falling of the final leaf, Nash’s eyes closed one last time.
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Ross's Writing Blog 
Lucid Gypsy
September 18, 2012 at 15:21
Very poignant, life as it is.
Ross Mannell
September 23, 2012 at 18:22
Thanks for the comment.
Time passes for us all. 🙂
Older Mum (@Older_Mum)
September 18, 2012 at 16:55
Lovely take on the prompt.
Ross Mannell
September 23, 2012 at 18:23
Thanks for the comment.
I was looking for something a little different.
lorrainefort
September 19, 2012 at 00:19
aahhh…. lovely and quite a full story for such few words. nicely done.
Ross Mannell
September 23, 2012 at 19:34
Thanks for the comment.
A lifetime in 104 words.
Paul
September 19, 2012 at 03:56
A retelling of The Giving Tree. Beautiful. Much more human.
Ross Mannell
September 23, 2012 at 19:36
Thanks for the comment.
I was unfamiliar with “The Giving Tree” so I carried out a little research. A tree that gives to a boy is a nice plot, especially the ending. 🙂
anna tims (@ageingmatron)
September 19, 2012 at 06:08
Beautifully thought out and accomplished
Ross Mannell
September 23, 2012 at 19:37
Thanks for the comment.
I liked the idea of a tree somehow linked to the life of a person.
Miriam
September 19, 2012 at 18:19
Two whole lives in 104 words, beautifully written.
Ross Mannell
September 23, 2012 at 19:40
Thanks for the comment.
Our lives intertwine with those we meet but, with the prompt, I thought of trees planted as memorials. The idea of a tree and person linked in such a way was appealing. 🙂
GoofyJ
September 20, 2012 at 03:00
Beautifully written, reminded me of The Giving Tree as well. We planted apple sapllings this year and I hope to enjoy them through the years with my family as your characters did.
Ross Mannell
September 23, 2012 at 19:43
Thanks for the comment.
Two apple tree saplings are in my yard. To my surprise, they shared a half dozen apples with us on the very first season. I hope your trees share many apples with you as they grow. 🙂
Lisa Wields Words
September 21, 2012 at 04:54
Lovely. Reminds me of THE GIVING TREE as well. We always plant trees in our homes. Someday I hope to see one grow.
Ross Mannell
September 23, 2012 at 19:46
Thanks for the comment.
There’s something special about being able to harvest what you have planted, even if the harvest is only the enjoyment of the beauty or shade a tree shares. 🙂
enterprisegran
September 24, 2012 at 15:38
We’ve done it again! I never read other entries until I’ve done mine and then I go back and read them all, commenting on some. I like to tackle the prompt without reading others’ takes. So many times, we have written in a similar vein. A lovely piece of heartfelt writing, Ross.
Ross Mannell
September 24, 2012 at 19:37
Thanks for the comment.
Like you, I don’t read other entries before posting mine just to make sure my story idea isn’t influenced by others. As we seem to be taking similar story lines, we must each have years of dealing with young children behind us. 🙂 Experience breeds similar thoughts.
KP
September 25, 2012 at 06:58
Ah, the cycle of life – lovely story
Ross Mannell
September 25, 2012 at 16:53
Thanks for the comment.
For me, the cycle of life seemed to fit the prompt. 🙂