Weeping willow tree
"Long before GPS, there were landmarks to help you navigate your way through life. Growing up, my siblings and I would all cram into the car and begin the long journey to our grandmother's house in Chatham, Ont.
Time dragged in that particular way it only does when you’re young. But then, just when it felt like the road might never end, a wonderful sight would appear from a distance — the weeping willows. Tall and graceful in an open field, almost waiting there like they knew we were coming.
And I’d feel it: the quiet relief, the warmth in my chest as the willows meant we were only ten minutes from grandma's house.
Although time has passed, as has my grandmother, whenever I see a weeping willow, I feel a sense of ease, like a kid again and only 10 minutes away."
— Grant McDonald