Over the years, a little sapling has grown into a big birch tree, standing right next to a family's house. It has a sturdy trunk and branches full of leaves.
For the birch, the year is full of changes: the warmth of summer; the wistful farewells of autumn; the chill of winter; and the miracle of growth in spring. The birch is often the center of life for the children playing in the yard, but sometimes the birch is left all alone.
In this...