Standing Tall (Even When Bare)

I love trees, especially big trees, with enveloping branches covered in greenery. Some even offer us fruit, but they all offer shade, beauty, and life. And yet, I made these trees naked. They have no fruit; are unable to provide shade. Without their leaves, they can’t even generate oxygen. They have nothing to offer. Even so, they still stand tall because they are proud of who and what they are. Their roots can hold it up when it is full of life and promise just as well as when it is bare.

I have had times in my life where I was unable to contribute to society in ways I wished I could. Some would shame me for such behaviour, and it was seldom that someone would back me up. I was left believing there was something defective about me because I couldn’t give back. Many of us have this false belief that we gain value from what we do rather than who our heart makes us be. This painting is my way of saying that one’s contribution doesn’t determine one's value. We can be proud of who we are, even when our accomplishments speak otherwise. We are not what we do. We are more. I am more. You are more.