February 4th- Class Commentary

What is the nature of self? What does it mean to be human? Who am I as a unique individual? These are tough question that I honestly do not know how to answer. Other than who am I as a unique individual, I have never thought of what it means to be human. Why should I? How should I? I am a human. I know nothing other. Perhaps if I believed in the idea of reincarnation I would have a better grasp on this idea. If I had been human in one life time, and then I became a tree in other, what would I think? Would I look out at other human walking by, longing to be walking amongst them again? Longing to feel what they feel? To be able to walk my heart through fire and emotions? Or literally walk through life just taking up space. I am taking up space as this tree. But I have another purpose. I provide shelter from the sun, well so did my hand covering my face when I was human. When kids climb on me I can feel their touch, their warm embrace...but is it the same as holding someones hand? I have things carved in my trunk, memories of a special time and place, but I had one of those with a tatoo. I am firmly rooted in the ground, but wasn't I grounded with my strong morals? I sway in the wind, weather out the storm...but I did that as well when I hit that rouch patch in my human life. I freeze, I burn, I turn to ash just like a human would. I can produce offspring, seedlings if you will. I can break, I can snap...crack. I am big and strong. I am standing alone on this hill, just like I did when I hiked that mountain. I get crapped on, well that's nothing new....damn birds.