Day 26 - A Sign
I’m starting to think that I should petition the state of Missouri to change their official plant to the Virginia Creeper. These things are literally everywhere, and I have had them on this blog a few times already. I didn’t plan on it, I honestly didn’t even know what they were until my friend Erik told me. But now I notice them everywhere, like an old familiar friend. Look how resilient this thing is, as far as being a successful competitor, I can’t think of a better specimen.
The more I think about it, the more this plant represents what I find charming about Missouri as a whole. I obviously was not too thrilled to leave California to come here, but I have completely changed my tune. My first thunderstorm here was incomparable in its splendor, and if you have never witnessed a Midwest thunderstorm there is no way you will get the essence from text. They are powerful in the most primal sense of the word. Incredibly powerful. The sky is electric for hours on end; lightning flashes unending, keeping the whole world in varying shades of purple and magenta. The thrum of the thunder is so deep and violent it shakes pictures from the walls. For hours this continues, until you feel like it is the new state of normal. The rain is thick, its droning clap makes you feel wet even when you are indoors. It is something you can only know if you experience it. It is menacing, even for an adult male who makes his own bedtime.
That kind of raw nature is endemic here. It is the defining characteristic. It also has bred a characteristic durability into the people who inhabit this place. They are unlike any peoples I have ever seen; their sturdy nature is initially abrasive, but eventually the most charming thing about this place. Watching the community deal with -40* temperatures for a week straight, seeing them come together in the harvest season; it has altered my idea of what work means.
This beautiful little Virginia Creeper reminds me of this place, and of them in particular. It is sturdy and charming. And though it is not a flower, I cant help but think it is more beautiful than one.
