Goodbye Forest

“I’m glad you came”

That’s what he heard in the darkness of the forest after a long hour of hiking. He doesn’t often hike in natural sights however he was not tired to the point to hear voices. He stopped and watched around, looking for a human soul in his surroundings. Few seconds passed, he assumed his own thoughts created voices in his head. He continued on his way.

“I’m glad you came, it was a long time without you”

He stopped and quickly checked around him if anybody was making fun of him. Nobody. This time he was sure he had heard something. He shouted: “Who is there? Where are you?”

“You know me, don’t you remember? I am all around you.” said the enigmatic voice.

“What do you mean, you are all around me?” he asked without understanding anything.

“I am the seed germinating under your feet, I am the sapling growing on your way, I am the trees making the forest. I’ve been standing here for generations. Don’t you remember me?” asked the voice.

“No, I have no idea who and what you are.” he answered both intrigued and slightly scared.

“You were a child at the time. You grew up tall now. Don’t you remember those summer days when you were coming here to play with the humus on the ground and the leaves from the trees?”

He paused a moment and remembered his childhood. At this time, he used to run around, hide behind trees, stop in front of strange and huge insects. He was curious about everything and amazed by anything.

“Do you remember the fun you had here?” continued the voice.

“I remember now, it was a good time” he admitted. “However I don’t remember you, I don’t remember that I ever met a voice or a spirit in the forest.”

“Don’t you remember the afternoon when you got lost? You were crying so loud! I talked to you to reassure you. With my trees and branches I showed you the way out. You came back the following days and months to continue your games in the wood. You never got lost again and I never talked to you anymore. However I was watching over you. Each leave, each insect and animal were caring you. Even if you didn’t need any help, I gave you everything you wanted.”

Some leaves were falling from the branches above him, brushing against his shoulder like a kind caress. The voice of the spirit continued: “I gave you a shelter to be warm, I gave you fuel to cook, I gave you food to not be hungry…When you started you own project, even if you cut some of my trees, I gave you a fertile soil, a space and plants to grow.”

The voice paused. He was feeling in its tone a sound of reproach, but he didn’t know why.

“You don’t remember all of this, right?” asked the voice.

“To be honest, I don’t. I was picking the fruits, cutting the wood and growing plants in the space I was finding. I didn’t know there was a spirit behind all of this. I thank you for everything you did for me though.”

Silence. The voice didn’t answer. So he continued “Why did you talk to me today? What do you want?”

“I know you for a long time even if you didn’t realize it. You came here today in the forest so I thought starting a conversation was a good idea. Moreover it’s been a while I haven’t seen human, they are all staggered together in cities, busy to grow their business…” uttered the upset voice.

“I came from the city. It’s busy and noisy over there. I was looking for some rest and silence…”

“Welcome in the forest. Trees, animals, plants are quiet and can help you to relax.”

He suddenly realized the beauty and calmness of his environment. The slow movement of the high branches following the wind flow, the leaves lightly rustling in the breeze, and the mysterious secrets hidden in the shade. The voice interrupted his thoughts.

“I need your help. Humans are forgetting me. They don’t come here anymore, neither listen to my voice. They cut trees, set fire on the home of thousand of animals and insects, pollute the water and the soil. It’s not bearable anymore, if humans continue this way, they may disappear.”

These last words triggered the man’s curiosity. “What do you mean, we may disappear?”

“One day, I will be gone because humans will cut most trees to spread their cities and grow their businesses. Without forest, the climate will change, rain pattern will be altered and freshwater will become scarce. Insect will disappear and your crops won’t be productive anymore…” warned the voice.

He thought about it. He didn’t really know how all those things were working and what was the role of the forest to make them work. However he liked to walk in this wood, watch these peaceful and giant trees, and look for colorful mushrooms and strange insects.

“I agree with you, humans need to preserve the forest for their own sake. I’ll go back and make them aware of your importance. I hope they’ll listen to me.”

“I hope too. Tell them that a common small change can make huge impact on large scale. The ocean is born out of drops of water.”

On these word the man continued is walk through the forest to go back to his noisy, busy and beloved city. On the way, he was wondering how he could make the people change their behavior, how to make them aware of the importance of the forest. After all nobody was living in the forest anymore. The other problem was his lack of power, he was a simple, young worker in a crowded office at the bottom of a tall building. At the edge of the forest, he was starting to lose courage, he really didn’t know how to act. While leaving the shade of the last trees, he heard the voice again.

“Goodbye little man. Take care of you. I hope you will find a way to save yourself.”

“Goodbye forest.”