There were two trees that stood out in my backyard. One of the trees was my constant companion, while the other held dark mysteries in my mind. They were both apple trees and I believe they both had wildly different personalities.
The first apple tree, is a tree that I still miss. I used to spend hours sitting in that tree. I know as a child I used to have conversations with the tree, even if they were one sided. It seemed to be my constant companion, along with my cat who sometimes used to climb the tree with me. I believe even at a young age it was a place of meditation, a place where I could be one with nature. I felt safe hiding behind its leaves. This tree will always hold a place in my heart even though I have left it, as well as my my tree climbing cat who is buried beneath the protective limbs of my apple tree. I imagine that he is still climbing it.
The other tree in my backyard was a Crab-apple tree. I think at that age I associated the name Crab-apple with having a crabby personality. Needless to say, this tree had a darker personality then the other tree. I always found the area around that tree somewhat mysterious. It is almost if there was a dark aura that surrounded it. It was as though you could feel something pulsating from beneath the ground, waiting to come out or to be released. The area was always overgrown, like it was forgotten. I recall there was a piece of cement or something that was partially showing through the growth, which I associated with a tomb. Maybe the tree was just misunderstood or maybe it had a different story to tell. A story that I never fully took the time to hear (I never did climb that tree).
One tree represented life and the other seemed to be a symbol of darkness. One was known to me and the other presented a mystery.
I never realized until I started writing today that the balance between light and dark was already at play in my world from an early age. That the safety of the known did not always win and the curiosity of the unknown called to me even then. Unlike now, back then I never embraced the unknown I just ventured on the outskirts.
Adairmoon 