Water

The rain comes and I can feel the chill of winter creeping up on us. It comes on slowly, pushing back the warmth of yesteryear. It comes on.

I see the glaciers extending. They push back the dry ground before them leaving nothing in their tracks. They invade the land. They conquer.

Water is the single most destructive force under the shadow of my leaves. It embeds itself and freezes, pushing apart mountains and destroying the works of man.

It pulls apart the soil and fills the oceans. It crashes down from the sky. It dislodges life. It wipes away the memories of humans.

But we need it. I need it. My friends need it. The moose need it. The foxes need it.

We all thrive on this destructive force. It comes down with the intent of doing us harm, but we drink it in. The lynx watches her kitten drink from the stream and then leads the way home. The reindeer stand under our leaves and feel the rain dripping down on them, soaking their coats and running off their hides. They stand as the water pours from them and makes its way to the ocean. It runs into the ocean where it feeds the fish, whales, and otters.

These creatures swim in circles feeling the rain pour down on their home. They watch it splash on the surface above them and the dolphins jump through to join it. They rejoice in the life force as it comes to them. They rejoice.