Remember the ripe star fruit season

In the past, at the beginning of my village, there was an ancient fig tree. It was called ancient because when I was born, the fig tree trunk was so big that several arms could hug it. I heard my grandmother tell me that when she followed my husband to become a daughter-in-law, there was a large fig tree at the beginning of the village. In August, when the weather changed, the fig fruit also changed color. That was the season when the fig fruit ripened. Time passed by so quickly, every autumn, when the sunlight turned yellow, it was also the time when childhood memories came flooding back with the season when the fig fruit ripened.

The ancient star apple tree stands tall at the entrance of the village. Its branches and leaves are luxuriant. I don’t know how many generations of young people and children, including me, have associated their childhood with the ancient star apple tree. Year after year, season after season, the children wandered around playing under the star apple tree and grew up, witnessing each season of star apple flowers blooming and each season of star apple ripening. From the young star apples peeking out from under the canopy of leaves, until one day suddenly turning to autumn, under the golden sunlight shining through the star apple canopy, the star apples turned yellow, entering the season of star apple ripening with many peaceful memories with family, friends, and neighbors.

I remember the summer afternoons when we kids would sneak out of the house to jump rope, play shuttlecock, etc., all under the banyan tree at the beginning of the village. Then one day, a storm came, and the banyan tree spread its large canopy, blocking the wind. After the storm, the old banyan branches, riddled with worms, were torn to shreds by the wind, and young and ripe fruits fell all over the ground. Mothers and grandmothers would go to the banyan tree to pick branches, sweep up leaves, and dry them for boiling. They would pick ripe banyan fruits and bring them home to keep them fragrant. We kids would take the green fruits to play with, or play catch. During the harvest season, dad would go plowing far away in the fields, and at noon, when he reached the village entrance, he would put down his plow, sit down under the banyan tree, and wait for the buffalo to cool off in the river before returning home.

Usually, at the end of summer, after a big storm, it is the time of changing seasons. The autumn sun dyes the fruit a brilliant yellow, that is also the season of ripe star fruit. The fragrant scent of star fruit spreads everywhere. The moon-watching tray is set up by the aunts and mothers in the yard, and the fragrant star fruit is indispensable. While breaking the feast and watching the moon, the aunts and mothers also teach the children to weave star fruit baskets from dried banana strings. When it is time to break the feast and divide the portions, the star fruit is put in the banana baskets and hung by the children at the head of their beds. The fragrant star fruit is very fragrant.

The peaceful and happy childhood of the children in our village grew up with many seasons of ripe star apples. Then we went to school far away from home. When we returned, the red dirt village road had been replaced by an asphalt road, wider, flatter and no longer muddy when it rained. However, the old star apple tree at the entrance of the village was gone. My mother said: On the day of the village meeting to get opinions on building the road, knowing that the star apple tree had to be destroyed, the whole village felt very sorry but had to agree so that the new road could be completed, only then would the people's travel be less difficult.

Now, every season of ripe star fruit, although the village star fruit tree is no longer there, surely in the memories of children of that time like me, there is still the image of the old, rough star fruit tree beside the village gate. As well as always remembering that old time with life in the peaceful countryside, where the village and neighborhood relationships were simple but always harmonious and loving.