Location Taken: Montana
Time Taken: October 2012
There’s just something about this tree that speaks to my soul.
At first glance, it might be the fact that it is a lone tree, surviving far from the distant line of trees along a distant river. It’s in a glorious landscape, too. There’s probably all sorts of metaphors about standing on your own and making your own way in there.
But then, if you look a little closer, you spot that the grass right by the tree is mowed. This tree did not grow here on its own. This was right by a rest area, and they had a few small trees scattered around as part of the landscaping. None of them were that big, but then the rest area itself looked like it hadn’t been there too long.
So maybe the metaphors should be more along the lines of false success, of arrogantly presenting yourself as doing it all on your own when you were given everything.
But I’m more fond of a different set.
After all, this tree IS alone, and it had no input in how it came to be there. Sure, it isn’t the best area for a tree to grow (else natural trees would be there), and sure, it probably has to be watered and pampered some to survive, but it is managing to thrive in its odd conditions. Perhaps the metaphor is that no matter how alone we seem, and how much we may think that we did it on our own, there’s other people helping and guiding you in their own small ways.
Which really is the best of the possible metaphors, I’d say.
