The Tree of Life

As I stepped through the door, into Miriam's Mystic Emporium I was instantly drawn to the globes in the window. They float in the air, almost as if by magic. A purple translucent sphere, with the look of a black tree inside, beckons me.

Miriam smiles and welcomes me as I take a step towards the  beguiling ball of purple and black.  This is my first time here. I had never been in a witch's shop before. I had expected to see some magical things but not to feel such a powerful pull towards them.

"That's a witch's globe." Miriam informs me. My hands reach out, an inch away from touching the purple globe, but before I do, another globe draws my eye. "It traps negative energy, making the colors in the sphere seem darker and dirty."  The clear glass reflected the sunlight, making the green in it shine more brightly. It looked so much like a tree.

The words Tree of Life played  over and over in my mind until finally, I held the cool, heavy glass sphere in my hands.

Miriam wrapped my Tree of Life globe while explaining how I would have to clean it on a full moon, whenever the globe grew dark and dirty with negative energy.

So proud of my purchase, the first thing I do is show it to my husband.  I didn't expect my husband to love my Tree of Life globe and he didn't.  He hated it.

It didn't matter  that I loved it. It wasn't even my favorite color, he argued. If that didn't matter to me why would it bother him? It would break, he insisted. I didn't think so. The glass was heavy and thick. Beautiful and unique.

But no matter how beautiful, how unique, it wasn't worth fighting with my husband. So I gently placed my precious Tree of Life back into it's box and returned to Miriam's Mystic Emporium. My heart breaking every step of the way.

I walked my precious Tree of Life globe to the counter. Slowly removing it from its box trying to prolong the inevitable. A sad smile played on Mariam's lips when she told me to release the witch's globe so it could float back up with the other witch's globes..

I raised my hands above my head, gingerly releasing my Tree of Life sphere, only to watch it drop and shatter into a million pieces. "Oh my!" Miriam cried, jumping up, and rushing to my side. Tears falling freely down my face. "This has never happened before." she tells me, handing me a tissue.

"Why didn't it fly with the other globes?" I cried, feeling as if my best friend had just died in front of me.  Pieces of glass bite into my palms, as I fall to my knees, trying to scoop up all the precious pieces of my Tree of Life globe.

A drop of my blood mixes in with the glass and something wondrous happens. Shards whirl around like fallen leaves in a wind storm. Miriam and I watch in awe as it reforms itself. Once again my Tree of Life globe.

"Honey," Miriam whispers, "you keep this globe. It doesn't want anybody but you as it's owner." Reaching into her pocket, she hands me the money I had given her earlier. "You have magic in your veins." My hand enveloped in her old but soft hands. "Think about learning your craft and see me again when you are ready." Patting my hand when she releases it.

My Tree of Life globe floats down into my open hands. I cradle it in my palms, standing in the middle of Miriam's shop, until the tinkering of the shop bell sounded.

"I thought I told you to return that." My husband briskly said when he saw what I held in my hands. 

"She did." Miriam spoke up for me. "I gave it to her as a gift." I held up the money to prove I had indeed returned it. And everything was right in the world again. Except that apparently, I was a witch.



I included a real photo taken of the witch's globe. My Tree of Life one was sold and is no longer available for photos. Obviously I was inspired to write this through these witches globes. If you ever see one please stop and appreciate its beauty.