An Observation made within Sam Spratt's "IX. The Monument Game" - Two Trees: The first, damaged by lightning, but still growing; gratitude etched in its core. Deep-rooted, it nourishes surrounding life, fostering moments of beauty amidst violence. Across the river, the other, a blackened stump & withered roots being consumed by fire FROM WITHIN; it is dying, home only to chaos. In life, we endure trauma but needn't be consumed by it. We can CHOOSE growth, be impacted by our past, but invested in our future! As scars fade, we thrive—choosing progress over self-destruction.