Lonely tree

The wind in the South Island is cold, and Lake Wanaka is as blue as a piece of sky cut off by the mountains. The tree stands in the water, with its branches stretched out diagonally, like an unfinished question mark. People call it "the loneliest tree in the world", but there are tourists holding cameras around it - loneliness has become the most lively scenery. The tree is a firecracker willow, and its roots are immersed in ice water all year round, growing very slowly. Eighty years is enough for it to grow into a stubborn silhouette. Some people say that its loneliness is given by the photographer's lens; others say that it is set off by the loneliness of the lake and the mountains. The wind blows, and the treetops sway lightly, as if nodding. Perhaps it never feels lonely - loneliness is just our thoughts projected on it.