Carmela

Bonsai. The word elicits varying reactions; admiration, curiosity, indifference. Many have encountered this art for years. For enthusiasts, bonsai plants can, and often does, become a way of life. Others turn away, unimpressed by the small trees in their even smaller containers, convinced that there is something wrong with them or that these trees have been tortured. People who act like this sees only what is in-front of them and not what is within. Judging quickly, they fail to see its over all beauty, formed by time and harnessed by nature’s elements. I have encountered a lot of problems in my life. Some have twisted me and others made me turn against my principles. The things that took place, are taking place and will take place in my life is because of what I came to be. I have heard a variety of reactions from people who don’t know me, some are pleasant and just others are not. But instead of allowing criticism to take its toll on me, I persevered and remained true to myself. And in the end the person whom I know I am and not what others want me to be emerged… Just like the bonsai. It is important to remember that bonsai is a living art. It compares with art forms that use paint and canvass, because bonsai too creates a composition, tells a story and evokes an emotional response. My life is a work of art. It tells of stories of laughter and sorrow, it is of compositions about triumphs and trials and it evokes emotions of appreciation and impassiveness. I am unique… just like the bonsai. The bonsai is minute yet complex. It is constrained yet full of grace. It brings forth the image of age yet inspires beauty. It holds secrets only those who are patient can see...just like me.