Finding Meaning In Our Spaces
“Seen, theologically then, walking is an act of faith. Walking is, after all, interrupted falling. We see we listen, we speak, and we trust that each step we take will not be our last, but will lead us into a richer understanding of the self and the world”.
-Garnette Cadogan
​
​
Before I read Cadogan’s essay, “Walking While Black,” I regarded the palm trees in my backyard as essential elements of the home in which I grew up. I also saw them as symbols of peace and relaxation. Watching their leaves move and hearing the sound they make when the wind blows at them helps me relax. After reading Cadogan’s essay and reflecting upon that particular quote, I decided to go to my backyard as I usually do to watch the palm trees. As I walked around my backyard and observed the palm trees, I finally understood exactly what Cadogan was referring to when he said that walking could “lead us into a richer understanding of the self.” I realized the reason why these palm trees had gained so much significance to me. I realized that looking at them was more than just a strategy I used to take care of my mental wellbeing. Although the palm trees do help me relax whenever I feel like my life is getting out of control, I realized that they reflect something specific about my personality and my character: my resilience.
On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria, an almost Category 5 hurricane, struck Puerto Rico. Its strong winds and heavy rain caused much destruction throughout the entire island. When I went outside for the first time after the hurricane and looked around my house, I noticed that each one of the palm trees in my backyard was practically intact. Even though my backyard was complete chaos, with chairs and plant pots scattered around, the palm trees remained firm. I remember being very impressed by them and saw them as a sign of strength amid the turmoil. Now that I look at them from Cadogan’s perspective, I realize that they remind me of myself. Even though I may sometimes be tempted to quit whenever something in my life is not going as I planned, I can overcome obstacles along my way, and I always try to give the best that I have.
Not only do the palm trees help me better understand myself and the deeper connection that I have with my environment, but they also help others to have a more accurate perception of who I am. Through the descriptions I make, they may perceive me as a calm person and someone who enjoys being in the presence of nature. They may also perceive me as someone who tends to find the positive details in the middle of difficult circumstances in life.
In conclusion, besides representing how much I value the importance of mental health, these trees represent my ability to recover quickly from obstacles that I may encounter when trying to reach a particular goal. Hopefully, through my description of what these palm trees mean to me and how they represent me, others can have a more accurate perception of who I am.
​
​
​
“A path is a prior interpretation of the best way to traverse a landscape, and to follow a route is to accept an interpretation, to stalk a predecessor, as scholars and bounty hunters do, or to honor the intent of the originator and echo it, as pilgrims do.”
-Rebecca Solnit
It is possible then that through this process of describing the guitar, Xinzhe had a similar realization as I did when describing the palm trees in my backyard: That the artifact has a deeper connection with his space and his identity than what he initially imagined. He had probably already known that he was passionate about making music and that the guitar is a symbol of this passion. However, after taking the time to analyze the guitar using Cadogan’s, Solnit’s, and our other classmates’ perspectives, he may have realized just how much he values having a sense of personal freedom and how the guitar allows him to achieve that.
​
Even though I am not physically able to walk around Xinzhe's studio, analyzing that quote from Solnit's "Footwork" made me realize that being there is not necessary to comprehend the significance of that space. In that sense, I started regarding Xinzhe's description of his studio's guitar as the path that would lead me towards the best interpretation of that space.
Xinzhe describes his guitar as one of the most prominent elements in his space. He refers to his guitar as "a sign of freedom in [his] space." He also said that "with [his] guitar, there is no right nor wrong" and that "anything can be accepted." In other words, the guitar is the medium through which he can experiment with different musical choices without facing any judgment whatsoever.
.