As posted in Stories of Picture.

Today was an exceptional day for Gary the old man. Rising in the east of his old beach house was the sun with its ray brighter than ever. Like every other mornings, Gary always walked on the shore for his own health.

Energized by the sunny day, he found himself walking far away from the
house and saw a shape of tree in a distance. Getting tired with his
morning walk, he decided to take a rest under the shade of the tree. He
didn’t realize that he has just entered the most amazing moment in his life…

It’s not an ordinary tree that Gary saw. It’s an enchanted tree. A legend said that the tree could only appear to a very selective people. Another said that tree was always there, but only for them who had a pure heart who were able to see it.

Slowing his pace and trying to catch his breath, Gary slowly approached the tree. A breezy wind touched his old wrinkled skin. That’s what Gary felt naturally, he didn’t know that the tree embraced him with something magical… making him younger and younger. As he grabbed the trunk, its magical power got stronger.

Gary felt his youth was growing inside him. He couldn’t help for expressing an enormous joy filling in his heart. Starting from his head, the white hair turned to a dark brown hair reflecting light from the sun. His face slowly turned to his golden age moment when many young ladies had a crush on him. The body felt much strong as if he could lift up the entire tree (which of course we know he shouldn’t do that at this time). His leg supported him to create a soldier’s pose. And of course, no more wrinkles on his skin anymore.

Despite the changes happening to Gary, he saw that everything
surrounding him also changed to a more younger state and colorful
scenery. Once a wrecked boat laid down on the shore had now became a
small wooden sailboat, polished and shining. A name written on the boat
“ROMANZA”. The sound of little children playing on the beach was
getting louder and louder when the eyes of Gary saw many castles made
from sand growing like grass in the field. And yes, he could also see
the children who built it.

The shore itself soon became crowded with grown ups too, passing by in front of Gary who could only stand with strange look. Some young women made a blink to Gary, but no one caught his attention until… one that caught Gary’s attention most… it was when he saw an image of his passed away wife shining with the sun behind her. The image was walking to Gary and it couldn’t be more real than ever when Gary reached and touched her lovely face.

…

Let’s stop a moment here and give Gary a chance to embrace and share
moments he had lost all these years. It’s amazing how the two could share
all the years far more than their physical body age. It seemed only the body
enchanted by the tree, while the mind remained untouched. Gary still remembered all
the years he had passed, even the moment when he was left by his wife.

“Could this be happening?” Gary wondered deep inside his heart. But as the
beautiful memories came back supported with body of a teenager, Gary didn’t care much about anything else.

Several hours passed away and Gary felt soon it will be dark when the sun set down on the west. Not wanting to lose any moment left, he asked his wife to take sail with the sailboat. He already imagined the romance filled in the air, spending an evening under the full moon in the middle of the sea… alone with the woman of his life. Never he realized that all just happening under the tree, as he walked to the boat and left the shade of the tree… all the magic happened earlier reversed the whole process.

His leg began to feel weak again, the grey hair replaced the brown hair, and the wrinkle appeared on his old skin. He didn’t notice all of this changes until he felt that he’s losing the smooth and silky skin of her hand. It’s just empty air now. Gary quickly turned his head back to see what happened, but he could see nothing… no children, no crowds, no young women, and even the tree had disappeared…

Strange as it may seem, he just found himself walking on the shore alone.
The wave of sea water just touched his feet when he sat down. The sun was still sitting on its throne high above Gary’s head when his old ear began to hear small voices from afar.

“Grand pa! Grand pa! Let’s go home! Mommy has made a special recipe for lunch…!”
Like struck by a thunder, Gary realized that sound was the most beautiful thing in the world. Nothing could compare the joy filled by a grandson running with love to his grandfather… not even living in memory, the most beautiful memory…

yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, but today is the present…

and so the life of humankind goes on…