I’m The Tree That Can Take A Sh*t Kickin’
Twisted and practical, this is the tree I would be
I am Gnarly.
In the 1980s jelly shoes softened your step, bangs were meant to reach the very top of the Eiffel Tower, and Gnarly was one expression for being cool. I am Gnarly. But not in that way.
I’m not Gnarly in Miriam Webster’s abhorrent, villainous or obnoxious fashion either — unless you ask my previous boss who referred to me politely as “a Disruptor”. I’m fairly certain very few folks would stick my image next to the terms miserable or crummy. Although my family may attest otherwise if considering the whirlwind, curse-filled few hours before leaving on a trip.
I am Gnarly as in the twisted, knotted Northern White Cedar. As most of you dear readers have deduced, there is very little about me that is as straight and narrow as the world demands. About as smooth as the papery bark of this cedar, I am far from graceful or pretty.
I am useful. Practical. I am the type of wood you want keeping your boat afloat. Strong, sturdy, and thick hardwood. Like a Northern White Cedar, I’m firm, reliable, and “resistant to decay”.
Libby Shively McAvoy penned an article about interactions between trees (you) and animals/insects (the creatures who tend to burrow into your…
