When I Grow up – Illuminated Dreams of a Little Fir Tree

On a quiet, snowy mountainside, there stood a small tree. It was surrounded by blankets of pristine white snow that sparkled in the light of the winter sun. The tiny fir tree was very young, its branches short and thin, covered in very soft green needles. While it bravely stood against the cold winds, swaying gently in the breeze, it dreamed of growing strong and tall one day.

One afternoon, as the sun began to set behind the mountains, the little tree noticed something new. The sun illuminated its shadow that stretched long and slender across the snow, reaching far beyond its actual size. The fir tree watched in awe, fascinated by how grand and majestic it looked, even if only as a shadow. For the first time, the little tree imagined itself as a towering fir, its branches broad and strong, reaching high into the sky, brushing the clouds above.

The little tree closed its eyes and let its imagination run wild. It dreamed of a future where it was no longer small and alone. In its vision, it saw itself standing tall among other great trees, their tops swaying gently in the wind like silent sentinels guarding the mountainside. The forest around it was lush and green, full of life and song, with birds nesting in its branches and squirrels scurrying up and down its sturdy trunk. The fir tree imagined the warmth of the sun on its highest branches, where it could see the entire valley below. It pictured the first snow of winter gently dusting its needles, creating a delicate, sparkling coat of white. It saw itself growing through the seasons, enduring the harshness of winter, the gentle rains of spring, and the bright warmth of summer, becoming stronger and taller with each passing year.

As the shadows grew longer and the sky turned shades of pink and purple, the fir tree looked at its silhouette in the snow once more. It knew that it was still small, but the dream of what it could become filled its heart with warmth. It stood a little straighter, determined to grow with all its might. It didn’t mind that it was alone now because it knew that one day, it would be a part of the forest it had dreamed of.

From that day on, the little fir tree held onto its dream. It drank up the rain and soaked in the sun, never losing hope, even during the coldest, darkest days of winter. It stood through storms and snowfalls, never wavering, always reaching toward the sky.

Years passed, and the fir tree grew taller and stronger, just as it had dreamed. Its branches became thick and sturdy, providing shelter for the birds and animals that made their homes within. It was no longer alone on the mountainside; other trees had sprouted up around it, creating a lush forest that whispered softly in the wind.

And when the sun set behind the mountains, casting long shadows over the snow, the fir tree’s shadow stretched long and wide, just as it had dreamed so long ago. It stood proudly among its fellow trees, its branches reaching high into the sky, a tall and magnificent guardian of the mountainside. The fir tree had grown into its dream, and it stood tall and proud, forever reaching for the sky.

About the artist/writer:
Wanda Fraser was raised on the prairies and currently lives on Vancouver Island.

"I find so much inspiration on the island. Its people, wildlife, and diversity of landscapes are like nowhere else in the world. As an artist I feel I’ve come home."