The Wounded Wood

     Strolling along this cemented path around the apartment buildings, in the afternoon, observing the Rowans at a distance, I've began to grow attached to them, especially this one scrawny tree.  This little Rowan is planted on a grassy slope, near the bus stop.  Judging by its features, it seems to be young and in development. Viewing the Rowan at a distance, which is about the width of a street away, I could see its stick-like trunk.  It looks like it could snap like a twig at any breaking moment, but lucky it's supported by two wooden poles, like two crutches helping a human with a broken leg.  Looking at the leaves, they are not as abundant than those on a full grown Rowan, whose branches are brimmed with the green razors.  The  berries produced on the branches are in minimal amounts only appearing mostly on top of the tree.  
     
     I decided to take a closer look at the Rowan, and the first thing I saw are huge gashes on the trunk.  Then as I moved up, a small skinny branch grew on the side of the trunk, trying to prosper and grow, near the split between two branches.  Between the split of the branches, are spider webs attached on the tree and sometimes free flowing in the air.  I continued looking up, and within the bushy greens are some hidden berries, on the left side of the branch.  These berries are still in its early form, dyed in a lime green, camouflaging themselves in the leaves. 

      As fascinated I am on this tree, I am more fixated on the gaping wounds it earned.  I was shocked by how much it has endured in its life.  It's like as if the Rowan got itself into a lashing or two, or maybe in a war.  Amazed by the gashes made on the tree, I chose to sketch it.  On the process of drawing the battle wounds, I noticed a few bits of wooden fibers that sprung out.  In fact, I researched a few things about the Rowans, telling me that the trees are known to have fiberous wood, and the species I am observing are called a Sorbus americana.  Sketching out the wound,  small gnat-like flies began to swarm in front of my face.  To my annoyance, I tried to back up a little, but unfortunately the teeming flies get closer with each step.  In an effort to get them away, I blew at them, with each blow becoming stronger everytime the swarm decides to return back.  These little stubborn bugs don't want to move, as if they are guards protecting the tree.  Irritated, I took my notebook and paper, and swatted at them not caring if someone sees my unusaul actions.  After this little mishap, I'm glad that the sketch is finished, but still felt bad about the lacerations it received, making the Rowan look hopeless.

 

                                            The sketch of the gash on the wounded tree.
 
     However, the single growing branch and the apple green berries are like the trees symbol of healing.  The young branch had a green color, coursing up through the stem-like stick.  Its leaves, which consists up to around eight to twelve leaves per stem, are just like those grown on the top of the Rowans, except they are more razor-like and have a bright hue of green.  The hidden berries each day would turn into a new color from a vibrant green to a welcoming orange.  These two represents that the tree didn't give up on life yet, because of a wound that could be healed within a few months or years.  It puts a smile upon my face that this scrawny looking tree is still growing to become like most of its Rowan brethren, fighting back the pain it suffered. 

                                                      A quick sketch of the little branch.

      Looking at this Rowan, it reminds me of myself in the past.  I was a young and weak girl, but a strong fighter, like that of this tree.  I've been wounded and dealt with bullying in life, similar to how much the tree endured the wounds and natures gruesome weather. Now I'm free from this oppression, continuing on life and trying to heal my broken emotions.  I sometimes remember these memories, but when I see that wounded wood, it tells me to look on how much I have grown.  I've learned that in the first stages of life that one will face many mistakes and will struggle in obstacles.  It came to me that life is not just a blessing, but also a curse.