When I Was a Child
Posted: Thursday, November 17, 2011
by Patricia Barbee
http://www.patriciabarbee.com
When I was a child about everything was a question. Why; how; may I, when, and where. Who was the missing "W".
When I read the assignment, my mind went to my walking to my elementary school in Boston. There was the an elegant old world-art wrought iron fence securing our yard and building. The gate I used would be locked after all the girls were inside.
As the school year progressed the tree became bare and snow storms would keep it in a white blanket. On a warm day the snow would melt a bit and the next day after always cold nights the tree may have icicles and the snow would be clad in ice.
Ah, the messy Spring thaw made everything ugly. The sidewalk would show trash that accumulated during the winter. Yet, the tree ignored all and continued its life cycle of showing tiny buds. Within weeks new pale green leaves would appear and by time the school year was over it would be bright green. We girls could not wait to have summer adventures and return to share. "My" tree stood testament to life's promises of death and resurrection.
Yes, I know from our science classes in the school building the life of living in New England and how trees got their nutrients from the ground and chlorophyll in the Autumn changed the colors.
Yes, I respected our devoted teachers and drove them crazy with my above listed questions. I was so tiny, I was always in the first seat, first row. To keep me challenged and out of the teacher's hair, each classroom at the elementary school had a big chair to the far left of the class room and shelves of "extra work". I was found in that chair many days. From that seat, I still drove the teachers bonkers.
I learned! I have no regrets for all the attention I got and my big "keep busy" seat.
At the end of the school day, I'd pass "my" tree. I found that tree mesmerizing. Now the neighborhood I knew has been razed for a "newer" Boston. I did not see my tree because houses are where the street was.
Where I reside, I've been Blessed to see the sylvan beauty of this earth from my back windows and yes, there are trees that remind me of my childhood in my back yard. My back yard is awesome because it backs up to about forty acres of publicly owned park land.
I also look in wonder at those trees. Being here just a few months I'm enjoying seeing greenery unknown and watching it as the seasons change.
Patricia Barbee © 2011 Patricia Barbee WryteStuff.com Author!
This Article has been viewed 513 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Trees are incredible, I can relate to how much you love them. It's so sad that your tree from childhood was destroyed, but you've written a beautiful obit for it!Thank you for the observation. I never thought of it as an obit. I believe you are right. Because it now lives only in my heart.
Yes, trees can leave sentimental feelings in us. good article PatriciaThanks for the love.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.