My cousin, Hera, asked me to draw this piece for a wedding she organized. My staunch ally, she has been excited when I told her I am dirtying my hands with paints and graphite.
Her request is a great timing for I have been planning to draw trees. It must be my activist response to the subtle denudation around me or an effect of my Sunday sojourn to feed the mice. Nevertheless, it was a pleasure to start painting this living wood.
The university is rich with different variety of trees. Every morning, I enjoyed looking at the verdant foliage that looks like velvet. It is quite fascinating to any artistic eye to watch the playful sunlight as it teasingly kissed the leaves. However, only very few, including my friend Leonore, will be fascinated at the wizened leafless trees.
But there is a lesson or two to be learned from trees bared with its verdant crown. Amidst the beating of the sun and lush beauty around it, the leafless tree stood its ground, with humility and grace. When people scarcely look at it except in dire need of firewood, its hands continue to reach out to the azure sky, proud of its dried and cracked branches.
When I almost reach the end of the road and I have cataract on my eyes, hemorrhoids in my ass, wrinkles on my face, varicose veins in my legs and arthritis every cold night, will I be able to reach out with grace, humlity and pride like the leafless tree? Or will I live the rest of my life, eaten with despair and grief of pains I can’t let go?
A lesson from the leafless tree. Ring!
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