The Leaf Who Liked To Fly

By Vikas Deepak

This is the story of a leaf who liked to fly. The leaf was a pensive one. She thought there is something wrong somewhere. She wondered why she didn’t move, like life, which was always on the go. Why am I supposed to remain in one spot? I meet all seasons, I feel the wind, and I feel water when it rains. The last time the leaf had met winter, she had heard from winter about how amazing Iceland is. From the wind’s belly, she would hear songs from valleys and hills and imagine if those places are as wonderful as the songs they sent. One night she asked the tree for permission to fly to one such valley, whose song the wind had carried that evening. The tree asked her how she will fly to that valley; because the wind—and the songs—arrive from there, but don’t return, instead they travel ahead. The leaf changed its mind and said that she would like to go where the wind goes. The tree didn’t mind; it looked around and said, 'I can see from my topmost branches that the wind goes to another valley'. The leaf was excited about traveling! But next moment, she was overtaken by concern. What if the songs of the new valley are not melodious? She was not up for the risk, and decided to find out more. The journey was called off, until she found some answers. No one really knew. The leaf hoped that winter might be able to tell her more, and waited impatiently for winter to arrive. She spent her days and nights waiting for winter hoping he would know. She even asked the morning birds who parked themselves on the leaf's tree, and had come flying from behind the hill. But the birds could not hear the leaf. One night, in a dream, the leaf asked the soil if the songs of the valley are going to be melodious; will she get good sleep there; will there be flowers to talk to, and water to keep her cool, and a gleam of sunshine. On waking up, she tried hard to remember the soil's answer but could not remember anything. She asked the soil again and the soil answered, 'All valleys are equally wonderful to me, I nurture them all with the same love, and they all are my children.' This answer was no help to the leaf.

So, she tried asking the soil if it could tell her the answer from the dream. But the soil said it didn’t know. The leaf could not solve the mystery. Tired and tested, she went to sleep, hoping the next morning would arrive with a promise that the valley's songs are melodious and she could fly there. It was early morning and the breeze was smooth. The leaf got on to the wind, flew over the hill, its colours shining bright with the freshness of a new day and the promise of melodious songs. She touched the wind’s belly and felt the living thump of songs with her hands. She swooped over the hill and laughed because it tickled the tummy. After the ride, she was happy with all that greeted her eyes, tinkled her ears, and hugged her skin. She jumped, stumbled, hoorayed, floated on water, and hummed the new melodies. She slept like a baby and woke up to the song of birds, and beamed ear to ear. Drenching herself in morning dew, she took a deep breath, and looked around with surprise. She had just woken up from the most melodious dream in which echoed her own melody, which the wind carries to that another valley, in its belly.

By Vikas Deepak