Born to the autumn, in the beginning the young pine tree was alone and so it continued. Her bark was tough from loneliness and her trunk was thick.

She rose away from the ground and towards hope in the sky. She was starting to look like the other pines and that felt good.

But then the wind changed and the rain beat down. For months it came from one side like a wall of water. When it ended she was broken and leaning and hurt. 

The other pines laughed. Together they were ok so she cried and gave up. Everyday she’d wish she was like them with friends and straight trunks. Now she sank and all was lost, until a little girl saw her. 

Are you ok? She said 
I am broken, said the pine 
  
The little girl looked at her trunk now falling and she was confused. 

You are not broken, she said  
You are hurt and need help.

With her palm the little girl touched her trunk. 

You need a hand, said the girl  
And here you go, here is mine.

Something inside the pine was happy. This was a new feeling. 

Here is love, the girl said 
And you will grow now, if you want to.

Sure enough, the pine grew up and around 
and out. When she got bigger her leaves sprouted and the birds came. The birds loved her so they stayed and the squirrels loved her so they stayed. And when she looked around she was taller than any pine she could see.