Cherry Blossom Short
Philly's Best Kept Secret
I had never experienced cherry blossoms till I moved to the East Coast in 2022. Before that, I had only seen them on television, websites, or in books. I had seen cherry blossom trees, but never when they bloomed.
I remember the first time I saw cherry blossoms firsthand in DC. The pictures I had seen on television, websites, and books captured large areas of space, making it look like the trees were bright pink. However, I was surprised to find just how white cherry blossoms are. When you look at them at a micro level, they are primarily white with a dash of pink.
I knew I would be attracted to cherry blossoms. I loved the images I saw in videos, and I have always been a fan of pink and purple. I remember in high school, I even had a purple-studded belt and long hair as I skateboarded across the town I lived in. Oh, how time flies, and I look back wishing I could leave some knowledge to the many different younger versions of me.
Another reason I love cherry blossoms is that they bloom in peak spring weather. Springtime weather usually brings thunderstorms (if you live in the Middle West) and the smell of flowers. It also brings some horrible things like wasps and spiders, but we cannot always get what we want. However, growing up in the Midwest (short for Middle West), the days of storms brought inner peace to me. The thunder, the lightning, and the rain all combined into this music that allowed my mind to explore so many different possibilities. Maybe it was from being stuck inside as the storm slowly moved past, making it the perfect time to sit and think. Maybe the rumble of thunder made me feel humble. Or maybe the rain created a soothing atmosphere. I can never put one finger on it, but I do love a good thunderstorm that will last for hours.
The East does not get thunderstorms like the Midwest. They are like towns in the Midwest; if you blink, you might miss them. But they do have cherry blossoms to make up for the missing storms. So while I do not get my peace from the rumble, I find it in the beauty of these trees.