There is a story I was told
about a sickly girl who thought
in her feverish, superstitious mind
that when the last leaf on the tree outside her hospital window
fell and died
she would too

Her friend was horrified
and tried to convince her otherwise
as the doctor said
this pessimistic attitude
would **** her
and when her efforts didn’t work
the friend stood by her side
through the night and the storm
that shook the tree outside
to comfort her

However
that last leaf outside
never fell
surviving even through the worst storm
and the sickly girl
became sickly no longer

And as the friend found out
while helping the doctor
gather one of his dead patient’s things
this sickly, drunkard man who had died
she learned
he had heard the sick girl’s story
and
this stranger went out that stormy night
(even though it would guarantee his death
sooner than it would’ve been)
and painted that last leaf on
so that sick girl
would have hope

So I ask you
Are you the sickly girl?
superstitious and waiting
for your last leaf to fall
Are you the friend?
Desperately trying to give your friend hope
but being there when all is lost
Or are you the stranger
Realizing that you need to do something with your limited time
and expecting nothing in return