THE MANY RINGS OF ME
BY SARAH BORSCH
You can learn a lot from a tree if you look at its center. A tree bears rings — starting at its core and continuing to make more as it grows. The more life experiences, the more unique rings develop whether it is underfed, over watered, or endures the harsh elements of each season. All of these can impact the color, grain, and thickness of each ring. The same can be said for us as we grow through life. Each experience, each situation, each obstacle, each relationship form rings deep within us.
At age six, I was already in competitive gymnastics and being relied upon as part of a championship medal-winning team. That ring — responsibility and discipline.
At age eight, I moved to a new country and was no longer around friends, family, my original team, or anyone I knew. That ring — formidability and adaptability.
At twelve-years-old, I was in a horrific accident that tried to claim my life. Instead, it took my leg as well as my gymnastics career and destiny, leaving me to learn how to walk again. That ring— resilience and bravery.
At age 14, I attended public school for the first time with a noticeable disability and had to overcome being made fun of and bullied. That
ring — tenacity and perseverance.
At age seventeen, I graduated early, moving out on my own, and navigating adulthood. That ring — courage and determination.
My twenties were spent learning how to balance college, relationships, and jobs and then experiencing the loss of said relationships and jobs. That ring — humility and self-reflection.
In my thirties, I was taught valuable life lessons and learned from previous mistakes. I refocused on building my self-confidence and career.
That ring — dedication and persistence.
At age forty, I got married. It was my first time living with someone and I learned the dynamics of building a home together. That ring — loyalty and patience.
Now currently in prison for embezzlement, I am forced to repivot and restart my life under confinement and make amends for my wrongdoings.
That ring — greed and accountability.
My bark is tough, since I have had to grow a thick skin from an early age. I’ve been cut and scarred over. I have loved and lost, and loved again. At times my branches seemed too heavy to bear, but through everything they’ve flourished time and time again. My current situation is merely a setback as lessons have been learned. I will continue to grow and rebuild. I will not only survive, I will thrive. My experiences, whether good or bad, do not define me. They have formed and shaped me. And now laid out for all to see, these are the rings deep within me. | SB
Beautiful.