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John Philipp's avatar

On my no-word sabbatical some years ago I was walking through the woods and saw a tree that had been hit by lightning, split down the middle, but still growing a new truck out of the tragedy. My first thought was, "Now, there's an ugly tree."

A moment later, in the stillness of the forest, it occurred to me that I was the only one there judging.

Changed my life, and I dropped the judgment reflex I had.

Well, almost. I still have trouble with checked shirts and striped shorts.

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Grant Faulkner's avatar

I guess the ugly tree's beauty resides in its tenaciousness for survival. That's such an interesting story, John.

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Walyullah's avatar

Wound-wood, I couldn't help but thing of the covering up of dead matter with live matter as a sort of self-burial.

Also, woohoo, first to comment haha. Ah, the simple pleasures of life, like leaving the first comment on a post.

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Grant Faulkner's avatar

Thanks for being the first to comment!

And ... I love the concept of a self-burial. And then resurrection ...

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Walyullah's avatar

Dangit, you made the metaphor even cooler.

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Grant Faulkner's avatar

No, you did: you were the one who introduced "self-burial."

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Walyullah's avatar

Think of*

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Teyani Whitman's avatar

What a lovely tale. I am extremely fond of trees, and the more I learn about their mycelium network, the more my heart breaks open for them.

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Nancy Chadwick, Writer's avatar

I'm a tree person, as a birch is character in my memoir and a willow in a novel. Many metaphors found in trees as the more you learn about them, the more they take on human characteristics of being sensitive, survivors, providers. It's kind of a we're-all-connected kind of notion. A meander through a forest has an effect on us for healing, inspiration, and creativity, to name a few. A wounded-wood tree may appear rough and unattractive, but how might it still stands. A wonderful post, Grant!

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Grant Faulkner's avatar

Thanks so much for your kind words, Nancy. Love that you have trees as characters, because they are characters. I love all of the recent research about the ways they communicate with each other.

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Wait a minute!'s avatar

Love the metaphor of the wounded tree, and I learned something new! Never heard of this before! 😊

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Rafia Khader's avatar

I've always loved trees and you've given me another reason to love them. I love this idea of covering wounds with life. The wounds will always be there in some way, but you can use them in a positive way by letting them fuel your writing.

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David de Young's avatar

Of the many things I didn’t know, this was one of them. Thanks.

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Isa Catto's avatar

I read this, loved it and remembered a word I once loved: cicatrix.

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