DAY 305
02.03.08
TREE 123
Super Bowl Sunday. I got up and headed to Rachel’s for brunch. When I arrived Will was already there. Rachel’s dad answered the door and I felt a little awkward. Rachel was still upstairs showering. I gave Rachel’s mom a hug and said hello. Every minute that went by became easier. I think I had just built something up in my mind that caused my own discomfort. Rachel came down stairs and Drew and MaryLiz showed up. Rickey was the last guest to arrive and we all got a tour of the house. It was a really good brunch with great food and friends. Sitting next to Rachel, it kind of felt like we were together. I wonder if that feeling will fade? After everyone else left I stayed back to exchange some gifts and say goodbye. It was nice to see her. I thought it was a successful step towards further establishing our friendship.
Then I left and went to Norman’s.
He was working on his rocket stove and I went to climb the sycamore by the creek behind his house. I wedged myself between two trunk and shimmied up to reach the first limb. Those first steps were the most difficult since the branches were small and dying. One broke but I saw that coming. As the limbs increased in size the climb became easier. I still had to navigate the remnants of a vine and some passages required quite a reach.
I made it to the top where my white ribbon awaited. As I got into a comfortable position I thoughtof Gus, Norman’s cousin, who had seen me in the top of this tree the first time I climbed. It brought back feelings of warm weather and images of changing leaves. I took out my camera and took pictures of Norman’s house and property,
and the light shimmering on the water flowing in the creek.
I’m not sure why, but having a high perspective on the world below heightens its beauty.
Maybe things are meant to be seen as a whole but as we navigate through life we focus on individual details. They distract us, worry us, and bog us down. They eat up our focus and energy, but when I am up in a tree, I am on pause from that life. It pieces things together into a conjunctive whole. Bigger things become more important. This act of climbing alone, to gain that perspective, is important.
I put my camera away and began to sway. This strong, skinny, arced tree really began to move and respond to my subtle muscle movements. I rocked side to side, back and forth, and in an ellipse. Maybe I like to sway because it’s like rocking in a rocking chair when you’re little. I love that movement combined with the view and the thrill of the height. I did that for a while, picked the very last remaining brown leaf,
and then climbed back down.
Later that night Norman and I went to his cousin’s for the game. Good food, a very nice family, and actually, a really good game. Everything came together today,all the little pieces to create a really wonderful whole.
2-4-09: I have this strange memory from that brunch at Rachel’s parents’ house. While we were all sitting at the table eating I had an itch in my ear. When I went to scratch I found an object in my ear. I pulled it out and saw that it was a large ball of earwax. Probably the size of a peppercorn. It didn’t smell like one though. Anyway, strange detail I remembered and thought (for some strange reason) that I would share.
Also, at the Super Bowl party last year with Norm’s family, I remember another funny story. Mostly I am quite quiet around large groups of unfamiliar people. But it was towards the end of the event and I guess I was feeling more comfortable. One of Norman’s cousins who I believe is in high school was complaining about some homework that was taking her forever. She was saying how she didn’t have enough time to finish all the work they gave her. She was describing the project which I can’t remember, but I decided to add, "maybe it’s not the amount of work, but an efficiency problem." They all looked at me and Norm’s cousin asked what I meant. I told her that it sounds like she doesn’t work very fast. Some of the relatives laughed but she returned with, "you’re not welcome to my family’s events anymore." I thought that was funny.
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Last Monday, Groundhog Day 2009, I needed to drop off rent near Cherokee Park and I wanted to get dinner. I called Leigh Ann to see if she wanted to go to Vietnam Kitchen. She had already ate but invited me over to her new house near Bellarmine College. I picked up some T-bell, dropped off the rent and went to her house. During my visit I went out in her front and back yard to look for a tree but there were none. When I left around 11 I called Josh to see if I could pick up some library books he had borrowed. There is also a pine tree in front of his building in Butchertown
that he has climbed before and said he enjoyed.
So when I got to his place I climbed it. It was a very quick and easy climb. When I stood on the ground underneath the branches and looked up I imagined that Josh could probably just reachthe lowest limbs. Well, I had to shimmy one move before I could pull myself up. From there is was just a few limb sections of growth before I was out of options.
I could see at the top that two of the limbs at my shoulder level had broken from the ice but still remained dangling.
I took pictures of all that I could see,
then I climbed down.
Josh was there watching last seasons The Office so I joined him. I was never planning to hang out with friends that evening, but I am very glad it turned out that way.