The Burl Table
My grandparent's dining room table has laid quietly unused in my parent's basement for over five years.
It's a custom burl wood table.
Burl wood is special because no two pieces are alike.
It's so special that poachers cut trees in national parks for their burls.
A burl forms on a tree from a stressor, becoming an unnatural-looking growth.
The formations turn the rings of a tree into a galaxy-like veneer that evokes emotion.
Of course, this particular table is extra special because my grandparents ate on it.
It was also a table that represented my grandfather's accomplishment and hard work, coming from nothing and being able to afford a prized burl wood table.
Dining room tables are often the last piece of furniture to go in a household.
The memories of gatherings with friends, holidays with family, and everyday meals with your loved ones all etched into the table. When you get rid of a table, you lose a piece of yourself.
One day, when I eat on the table and look at the wood, I'll feel where I came from.