Trees, most of us see them everyday, but pay no attention to them. It wasn’t until a couple weeks ago when the trees around my house started to be cut down that I started paying attention. I first noticed the change as I walked to the bus stop on my way to school. On my right stood a guardrail and behind it were many trees. The only difference was there were not as many trees.

I did not think much of it, but as the days went by the lack of trees became more prominent. I asked my mother the reason why all the trees were being cut down. She said that the trees were being removed so that a new road could be added. I had heard her talk about a new road with my father before but I never registered what she was talking about. Apparently, they both prefered the trees over a new road, but I was not sure why.

After several weeks most of the trees were removed. The road construction was now on the other side of the guardrail and few trees. I never paid attention to the trees before but the trees were certainly more beautiful than the construction site. Eventually all that was left of all those trees was one still standing.

I had never seen this tree before; it was masked by all the other trees. At first, I was wondering when they would cut the lone tree down, but they never did. It must have been the lucky tree, the one that did not interfere with the road construction. Now whenever I walk to the bus stop, I have two options of what I want to look at. The construction, or the tree. I always choose the tree.

I never really cared for trees. It is not that I disliked them, they just were never something I payed attention to, but I started to care for the tree.

One day I got an assignment in my English class to write a story from a point of view other than a humans. This stumped me, I did not know what to write about. Then I had an idea, I could write about that lone tree behind the guardrail.

My story went like this: “I use to be a part of something great. A vast system of trees and vegetation. We were all prideful and strong. Then one by one each day my fellow trees started to fall. The numbers started out small, but increased greatly each day. Men, with chainsaws and big machines brought many of us down, just so that they could build a road.

The trees next to me fell, and in the front and rear. Somehow, I stood strong. They never came after me. I am the lucky one, and now the lone standing tree. I truly was the strongest.”

I was very proud of my story, even though it was not even a page. That day when the assignment was due and I casually walked to the bus stop. That was when I had learned that I had something to add to my English piece.

When I got to English class I got out my story and penciled something in. My story was not finished yet.

This is what I penciled in: “I thought I was invincible. I never thought the road would claim me also. Although I now know I was wrong. A man walked up to me with a chainsaw and started to bring me down. Never would I have imagined that I would submit to man. Now watching him bring me down I know just how weak I am. Maybe I am not so mighty. I may be tall and strong, but I am helpless; and I know that my time is limited. No longer will I be a mighty tree that towers over the cold ground, but a weak stump under a mighty road”.

As I handed my piece in I was happy knowing the tree would live on.