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“Reading what I have just written, I now believe.”
–Louise Gluck, from Faithful and Virtuous Night
At the time it felt like a dream.
One Spring afternoon geocache coordinates took us north an hour and then west for another. GPS dinged we’d reached our destination. Scant undergrowth made it easy to find the two-track. We walked it until there it was, a small silver box, shining in the sun.
It was my turn to pop the lid. A cloud of green glitter engulfed my head. I gasped with surprise, throwing the box down. I wet-wiped my face then and showered at home.
The next morning while brushing my teeth I looked into the bathroom mirror and swore the whites of my eyes had a green tinge to them. By summer leaves grew out of my ears. My skin sprouted acorns. By fall I was myself again.
Reading what I have just written, I now believe I’d been a tree.
[144 words]
Lillian is today’s host for dVerse‘ Prosery. Lillian says:
So for today’s prompt, somewhere in your 144 word or less piece of prose, you must include the line “Reading what I have just written, I now believe”.
image link and to learn more about geocaching, go here.

Smiling I am!!! Love this tale. Have you ever read the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle childrens’ books? She gives suggestions to help parents who are having trouble with their children….as in two children who refuses to take baths. Her instructions to the parents? After several weeks of not baths, sneak into their rooms while they are asleep and put radish seeds in their ears and push it into any dirty that has accumulated on their body. You guessed it. They sprout radishes! Your tale reminded me of that….although I must admit, I like the idea of the green glitter much better :)
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LOL no I never heard of those books. My credo as a parent was always stay one jump ahead of them :)
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This was so magical and funny: delightful to read! I wouldn’t mind becoming a tree for a season or two…I think!
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Me neither!
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I cannot feel that other than this is both sinister and sweet… I wonder what you learned as a tree… fear of axes, and obsession with birds maybe.
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It was a temporary enchantment, thank goodness. I learned digging my toes into the dirt feels really good :)
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I wonder if tree would wish to be human? A very nice, imaginative take.
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:)
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Oh—this is strange and magical. I was worried at first that it was sort of a Pandora’s box. I wonder what the writer’s time as a tree was like? I wonder if it was good or bad?
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I wonder who planted the glitter in geocache container and why! As the writer was able to get back to themselves, I think they were relieved.
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Lovely story! I am thinking maybe an environmentalist sprite planted the box, so people could experience first hand that “it’s not easy being green.”
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I love that and am sure you’re right. Wonderful comment, Irene.
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a great flight of fantasy, loved the twist!
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Thanks Kate!
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pleasure Lisa!
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omg!!! Fairy tale are made of this stuff
Nice One
Much❤love
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Glad you enjoyed the fairy tale, Gillena. <3
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A very interesting story… you turned into the green-eyed tree!
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:) and back again!
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:>)
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I believe you were! Now I want you to write about how it felt :)
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:)
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Oh I love this! If only we could morph into trees and experience their perspectives & feelings! 🌞
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I would love a chance to try it.
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This is most stunning, Lisa! A lovely blend of wisdom and fantasy 💝
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Thank you, Sanaa!
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A fastasy and a bit of a poser as well. I will beware glitter in any cards I receive!
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lol good idea, Beverly!
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Another fun story and it involves a tree! I chuckled at the line: ‘By fall I was myself again.’ I can’t begin to imagine what happened all those months in between. Thank you, Lisa for a fun read.
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One thing I can tell you, no masks were involved! Ah, to be mask-free again…
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If you get deep enough in Zen, one discovers that a soul can choose to return as a tree. You make me a believer.
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Tree is my place of choice the next go-round. Of course a tree set far far from humans.
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Loved this. I feel it is only the beginning!
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:)
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Very cool. I was a tree once. Oak, I think, though My Beloved Sandra tells me elm. What does she know? She’s a willow.
This story will definitely NOT leave the reader board. (sorry; couldn’t resist.)
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LOL delighted to grow in the same forest with you and your lovely lady willow.
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Oh, I just LOVE this. The ending line made me smile.
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:) Thanks, Lucy!
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Hah! This is so cool. Love it!
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:) delighted you liked the story
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Or an almost tree… maybe you cleaned the glitter off to quickly. You could have been an Ent!
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:) true!
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I’ll be on the lookout for green glitter….(K)
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I like this fantasy!!
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:) It was fun to write it. Thanks, Sadje!
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You’re welcome 😉
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Now that would be a cool experience…as long as you could go back.
You have posts that urge me to quote the Lorax…
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If I wasn’t a tree in a former life, I’m probably heading in that direction in the next. I love The Lorax. I loved reading to my kids when they were little.
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I need to post on the Lorax! I like that fellow a lot and it was a good representation of conservation.
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What a delightful tale Lisa!
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Thanks, Linda :)
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You’re welcome.
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This made me laugh. :) I guess I’m reminded of a video where I watched a superhero turn people into trees when they didn’t recycle.
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Glad to make you laugh, Sa. My kind of superhero!!!!!!
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This is delightful!
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:) Glad you were delighted, Mary.
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Who’d a thunk a glitter bomb could turn one into a tree. What a wonderful story, Lisa.
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:) Thanks, Dale.
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:)
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What a fun story, Lisa! I can see a children’s fairytale in this.
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Maybe one day, Sara. Thank you :)
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