The Giving Tree by Maria Fokas The music caressed my office like the sun caresses the face of a flower grateful to be alive in its moment of blossom. The warmth of its touch consumed me and took me away from the present moment of chores and tedious thoughts of routine; and then the phone rings to interrupt. Three rings before I pick up the handset and put receiver to ear. It was my sister. She said that she had some bad news. “Is everyone alright?”, I asked. She replied that the news was of a different kind of bad. … Continue reading The Giving Tree