Ruidoso = Leah’s roots.

I was driving back to the downs (named such for the horse race track) and a moment of clarity regarding my roots came about. I was returning from a hike in the woods with my mom and ruby (who is amazing) in which we searched for pine knots (full of sap so they burn better and more fragrant) and pretended to be tall pine trees, swaying in the wind (ruby was the best at this). We collected enough to barely carry back to the cars. After our adventure I played 9 holes of disc golf with one of my best friends, his gf and dad amidst the trees and vegetation we grew up roaming through. And this is what launched my roots thoughts. Some of my roots I have prayed to be like that of the Enset tree in Ethiopia, so shallow that the tree is easily uprooted and therefore these habits or family traits won’t be part of my story forever (we all have a list I’m sure). Other roots I imagine weaving together, deep into the ground and anchored among rocks so massive that my life will forever represent these traits and traditions.

Roaming through the forest with my mom and Ruby reminded me of when I was Ruby’s age and my parents took us along while they cut wood for the winter. My older two siblings and I would be left to create a world where each tree bore fruit to be used in a potion or soup we might all imbibe, rationed of course, since we were castaway children left to fend for ourselves (imagination of a child… why did we always want to be orphans?). We created a world in the great outdoors and hours later we’d all pile into my dad’s truck and return home. Those are the roots that are still thriving as Ruby and I pretended to be trees in the wind and had to hunt for food before returning to the car. Thank you mom and dad for giving me roots… a stage for my imagination, a love for the high desert wilderness, and a vision for great things amidst simplicity.