This tree has been in my backyard forever, and not once did I consider it’s real name until my mom told me it was a Japanese Maple. I never thought of it having a formal name like that, or honestly ever given this tree any type of thought. It’s bare most of the year, and I only ever seem to notice it when it’s leaves are already brown and dying. However the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this tree is a very important part of my home. I’ve grown up around it, doing flips off of it as a kid, tying our dog’s leash to it so he can run around but not run away, and shaking off the snow so the branches wouldn’t break. My sister and I would hide our toys in it, or see how high we could climb before we gave up. Us and our friends would use it as the finish line in races, and later on, as a stand for our phones while filming video projects for school. 

Not all memories of this tree are so fond either, like when I tripped over it’s roots and my dog dragged me across the rest of the yard in the snow. I now see that when I look back on my childhood this tree stands out as a landmark in a sea of foggy memories. I even had it as my home screen on my very first iPhone. It’s interesting how seemingly plain, boring parts of nature can sneak their way into our lives, and become so close to our hearts. Even a Japanese Maple.

-Shannon Burke