Values & Key Symbols
Richard Drapo, 7 May 1998, LL 351/Dr Patricia Keith, Values and Key Symbols ~~~~~~~~~ Hasley's woods, and pasteurs, the wolf, and my dog hold much value to me and are special symbols I cherish. Hasley's woods is a special place not only for its beauty but its many uses. The woods are owned by a dairy farmer, and in one section of the woods there is a cow graveyard, evident of the bleached white bones heaped in piles.When I was in kindergarten in 1968, I used to look out our window and see Hasley's big bright red barn with white trim surrounded by alfalfa fields standing like a majestic mountain. In the sky there was usually bleach white and fluffy clouds lingering over the barn and field. The scene still gives me much value.Likewise, the wolves stature and piercing, noble glare are environmental symbols of great meaning between a wolf and it's habitat. ~~~~~~~~~ Remember, when Dorthy of the "Wizard of Oz" finally gets to see the wizard (the wolf), and the wizards beautiful castle and fields (Hasley's woods). I always knew that woods held a special wizard of some kind. My dog, everyone of my four siblings called him their's, was a great companion, and not your ordinary dog that would make a mess any where he pleased. He was extremely clean in hygiene and activities. He was raised in a time when there were no leash laws, and raised in a time when leash laws came into effect. I remember the first time I was told by my mother to chain him up. When I did chain him up, he looked and acted very depressed, virtually pathetic and threw up or vomited things I never seen come out of an animal before. The scene was so pathetic, I vowed never to chain him up again, and I never did. I believe, I coerced my mother outside to witness the scene, so she wouldn't insist I tie him up. He died at age fourteen, origin of death unknown. My mother probably took him to be put to sleep since his sight was deteriorating. Though we were never told if she did or not, and nobody really ever pushed the issue, just one day he was gone. Life and death portrayed very uniquely and quickly when it comes to animals. ~~~~~~~~~ Richard Drapo, 5 May 1998, LL 351/Dr Patricia Keith, A Wilderness Experience Worth Remembering ~~~~~~~~~ Richard Nelson says that what makes a place special is the way it buries itself inside the heart. When I'm out in the wilderness or woods, woods being an eastern expression for deciduous trees, I feel that I can slowly loose myself in the environment. At the same time, I become an explorer trying to seek out the inhabitants that live in the woods. In a North eastern woods, I spot a curve in the trail that I am traveling on, and I find myself slowing up, listening and wondering what is around the corner. I feel like Nelson's deer watching from a secret place in the undergrowth. As I begin to walk again, I stop right at the bend, and gaze at the scenery that has been opened in front of me. I look for the animals. After, I continue to walk through the curve, and my thoughts evade me, but as quickly as they have left, I'm thinking new ones. My new thoughts arise from the new scenery that is unique to this particular area. I see a growth of oak trees, and scattered all around are acorns. Baby oak trees not quite hatched or taken root. I remind myself of those words I once read on a coffee cup, an oak tree was once a nut who stood it's ground. I admire this proverb for it's meaning about life. I gaze through the woods in all directions, and notice the white bark and all the shapes of the vibrant,flourescently glowing, green leafs on all the birch trees. ~~~~~~~~~ I begin to remember that day in 1977 when I was in the same woods with a friend and my older brothers black Lab, Terrier mix, named Elfie who we brought home to join our family in the late sixties. I was the one who picked him out of the litter, and the one who crawled under the strangers couch and pulled a yelping puppy from his hiding place. The whole time his mother sitting and witnessing the whole ordeal. She knew her pup was leaving her, and she had the noblest approval on her face, kind of like a beckoning to take care of him and that she approves.... and be gentle with her baby. ~~~~~~~~~ Suddenly, Elfie stops and emits a concerned low keyed rambling growl that seemed to linger for ten seconds. I take my gaze off the dog and slowly peer around me. And, there he is watching us standing broad side about fifty yards, a big beautiful, light colored, oddly marked wolf. I whisper to my friend to quit talking and to look. When he does he is startled and amazed. I speak to my dog telling him to stay. He was a dog raised in those days when there were no leash laws in our New York town. He proved himself a good fighter. His friends were other Labs, black and golden, and German Shepherds. ~~~~~~~~~ I bend down to his level, and tell him to stay again in a low whisper as he continues that low lingering growl. As I look again, for the wolf, he is gone. Suddenly, I stop remembering, and I pick up a few acorns from the ground, and try to crush the hulls. I can't, but do manage to pull the tops off and stick my thumb in one. I create a suction, and the top of the acorn sticks to my thumb. Afterwards, I decide that it is time to head home, but before I do, I look up through the trees and notice the very bright, and clear rays and beams of sunshine filtering their way through the vibrant, almost flourescent, green leaves, illuminating the white bark, tree branches, and coming to rest on the ground where their journey ends. I give thanks for being able to experience God's splendor at that particular moment. When I'm done giving thanks a soft summer breeze begins to whisper through the trees. Yes, it's time to head home. -R S DRAPO
posted by R S Drapo @ 11:45 AM
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