Daniel Levine 

Professor Toohey 

ENG 170-28 

Visual Memoir #5 

26 April 2024 

    Cherry Blossom 

After my time spent on Huguenot Street, I had only gotten inspiration from four buildings, four scenes that were taken photos of. I had left the area with a chip on my shoulder as I had no idea where and what my last memoir topic would be. In my futile attempts to scrounge something I went all over town searching and yearning for any inspiration, but everything to me was either bland or too much revealed at face value. I needed something with symbolism, something that would allow me to take into interpretation and spit out something with value. Which is when I happened upon this cherry blossom tree on my way back, this tree was not new to me, I had seen it a few times already, but it was not until I had the lens of trying to find meaning that I realized how perfect of a last memoir this tree would help create. For some context, traditionally cherry blossom trees originate from Japan, and have many symbolic pathways to explore. Due to its variety of symbols, one can use the cherry blossom tree for its relation to romantic settings and the overall theme of love and try to incorporate into designs for clothing. Others see it as the sign that spring is here and in full force which could support an economic point of view regarding themed menus at restaurants and spring themed items at various markets. But the last two symbols and the one I enjoy the most is that it represents both renewal and fragility, these two concepts mesh very well together and create new unique perspectives. I speak on this due to how this final memoir is about the tree, which is closest to my campus, is also a way of bringing me back to the start of my memoir journey. This tree creates the effect of a new point of view for me, showing that this could have been the start of something beautiful with my writing pieces and not the satisfying end to them. The intricate patterns of each leaf can represent an opportunity that could have been taken, a new perspective of the same old road. The soft pink color of the leaves creates an aura of serenity that is almost enthralling to the observer. These aesthetic aspects merge beautifully with the cool tones of the green and blue that fill the area around it. The most interesting part of this to me was that this didn’t catch my eye, once I saw the tree my mind did not instantly go, “ that’s what I wanted to write about “, my mind took in the tree and the thought that came to me was “ this is what I NEED to write about “. Again, it is apt that the final part of the memoirs represents rebirth; it is almost poetic how the result of something is the creation of another. This is not the only cherry blossom tree that resides within New Paltz, or even the campus, but it does not really matter how many of them there are unless you can really take in the true meaning of them. The mere presence that a cherry blossom provides should be something few and far between, among a sea of dead or normal trees, having an outlier like the cherry blossom is very nice. The fragility that the tree simultaneously represents is a perfect fit for the concept of new beginnings, a strong wind knocks all the leaves off, or the worst weather shakes the tree with enough force for it to undress. Yet it remains waiting for the next spring, the next opportunity for revitalization and a new chance for different outcomes to happen. It speaks to its endurance that as fragile as the tree is, it still will always bloom and bring forth the new season. Overall, the cherry blossom tree is one of my favorites due to its hidden messages and symbolism that it provides for many cultures. In conclusion the many symbols the tree takes pride in are what allows it to be such a magnificent organism.