Lemon Tree

I am a tree, a lemon tree.  Until a short time ago, I had a big problem.  I didn’t give lemons.  Many might think, “What is the use of a lemon tree if it doesn’t give lemons?” However, I know a girl who thought differently.  Her name is Hope and I live in the patio of her house.

Hope’s grandfather and brother planted me about seven years ago and my life hasn’t been that easy.  The year that they planted me, there was a great drought and I lost almost all of my leaves.  But Hope’s brother watered me every day until I was strong and kept growing.  My roots went deep and my branches multiplied, but I didn’t give a single fruit.

In the Winter of my fourth year, it was very cold.  A freeze nearly did me in, but Hope’s grandfather placed a sack over me to protect me.  I spent many days hidden under the sack until winter came to an end.  That spring, I stretched up taller than the other fruit trees in the patio.  My truck got wider.  Hope had fun swinging from my strong but flexible branches.  Still I did not give any lemons.

It was in my fifth year of life that something terrible happened.  There was a storm with strong winds and rain.  The earth around my roots loosened and then, and gust of wind that almost tore the roof off the house, unearthed me.  The morning after the storm, Hope, her brother and grandfather came to see me.  Half of my roots were exposed and my branches fell down nearly to the ground I was so bent over.  My truck was split in the place where the wind had ripped off the large branch that Hope used for swinging.

“This lemon tree has never given fruit,” said the grandfather. “I think it is time to cut it down and plant another one.  The other trees in the patio are giving fruit.  I don’t know what happened to this one.  And now, with the damage caused by the storm, I don’t think it will survive.”

“Oh grandfather,” responded Hope, “Let’s give it another chance!”

Hope’s brother agreed.  Together they worked hard straightening me up and tying me to a big pole to keep me upright.  They mulched my roots and pushed them back into the ground.  They watered me every day they painted the wound where the branch had been torn off.

   At first, I thought the grandfather had been right.  Nothing changed except that many of my leaves dropped to the ground.  Winter came again.  I was too big to be covered.  I slept until the sun began to warm the air again and spring arrived.

Hope gave a shout of joy when she found the first blossom.  Then I had more and more  and slowly the flowers fell and tiny bulbs appeared.  They were small lemons!  I had lemons all over me, and according to Hope, they are the juiciest lemons she has ever tasted.

From that year, I have never stopped giving lemons.  The grandfather says that maybe it is because the soil was churned in the storm and the added mulch.  Hope took several pictures of me to show at school.  She says that my ability to give fruit even after so many challenges is an example of resilience.  I think I began to give fruit and am stronger than ever thanks to a girl who believed in me and gave me a new opportunity, stood me up, and supported me.