My Favorite Place is an Old Tree 

By Zander Sante

My Favorite Location Is An Old Tree

By Zander Sante

One of my favorite locations to spend time is a tree up above my house. Next to that tree is where Bajuko and Itty Bitty, my cat and dog, now rest. This place is a little hard to explain.  It’s up above my house which is on the north hillside of the Town of Telluride. There are rocks set in a circle and sticks creating a pyramid over the graves.  To the right of that is a large tree and from there it overlooks the whole valley.  Because my family pets are buried there, I have a strong connection to this location and I correlate it with comfort. I don’t go there often because I believe I should save my time there for special occasions. This location means a lot to both me and my family due to the connection with my dog and cat.

 I remember one specific moment when I had been bullied for a long time, and I was at an all-time low.  My mom and dad were both at work, and my sister was gone; I was all alone in the house, no one except for me and my cat. I decided I would go up and talk to my dog. I remember sitting next to his grave and talking on and on about how I hated those people and wished they would just leave me alone. The more and more I talked, the more and more I felt like Bajuko was listening.  In the end, I had talked to him for so long that my parents got home and saw me on the hill next to his grave, talking to myself. 

Historically, this is the place where my family has buried our beloved pets.  My dog Bajuko, my cat Itty Bitty, my sister’s bunny Nala, and my first lizard Berno.  This location has helped me at times when I think about death, and times when I think about being real. Thinking about death and being real have truly made me question what I am in life and what role I play. Every time I feel terrible thinking about these things, I can go up to my place and talk it out. It makes me feel as if all my problems will pass and that I'm not alone.

I like to imagine that years ago, before me, before my parents, and before their parents, there was a man who would come to this tree with his friends and talk to them the same way I talk to my dog. This place would be special to him because of the great views of the valley floor, just as it has become special to me. In his most difficult times, he would come to let out all his sorrows so he would have the strength to be happy again. This place is special to me, and I wish for this location to become special to all who come here in the future.