Finding The Key

As a girl, a favorite book of mine was To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout and her brother Jeb sometimes found small gifts left anonymously inside a hollow space in a tree.  Once they found a hand carved boy and girl whittled out of soap, another time a ball of string, then a pocket watch.

Might a mysterious, anonymous person leave surprise gifts for me in our maple tree? I check the hollow place in the trunk. No surprises.

“Maybe another day,” I think.

As summer made way for autumn’s arrival, the maple began droppping its leaves. Swirling down like tiny helicopters, some of the leaves resembled keys. While collecting handfuls of the maple keys, the old maple tree seemed to smile at me. Then it whispered,

“Ask me anything.”

So, I asked my questions of the maple tree:

Why do Mom and Dad yell at each other?

Why does Mom cry so often?

Why did my brother David take that bike ride and never come home?

Why is my stomach knotted and upset so often?

One slender branch bent down.

“There’s an entire world out there waiting for you,” it said. “Stay alert for the keys. When you find one, unlock the gate and follow the path. It will lead to where you want to go.

And so, I keep my eyes open, listening for answers, watching for keys.