A Wooden Ship for Dionne
By Jenna Larson
When I thought about the type of gift I want to give Dionne, I knew I wanted to find something inspiring on our campus. Considering I met Dionne at Trinity, it felt the most fitting. Our tour of the chapel inspired me greatly because of how many details were reflective on collegiate life and friendships. Everything in the chapel feels so grand and detailed, you feel like you’ll never run out of things to look at. To me, no matter what you look at, you retain something. That’s how it feels getting to know Dionne. She is such a truthful, energetic, and inspiring person that I have loved getting to know. But I know I’ve only scratched the surface. Like the chapel, I know there’s so much more to Dionne to get to know, and I hope I am able todo that throughout our time together at Trinity. It felt like there were a million and one choices for an object in the chapel, and in a way there is. I don’t think I could ever know every nook and cranny of the chapel, and that’s one of the things I like most about it. Everywhere I looked, I found something new to admire, which is definitely another similarity to getting to know Dionne. I was most struck by the carvings on every pew. The detail they each carried was absolutely fascinating and admirable. The object I chose is the wood carving of a ship on one of the pews.I think it is very easy to forget how difficult it must have been to create the smallest details that make up our beautiful chapel. The craftsmanship that is required to make something of that beauty is beyond compare. In addition, those details are everywhere. Every pew, the carvings lining the top of the altar, the doors, everything has such detail and meaning. This ship is what I was sitting next to while listening to the beautiful organ fill the room. I found that music so inspiring, and I appreciated having such beauty to look at. This wood carving of a ship is incredibly detailed and beautiful. There is so much to admire within this one, tiny piece of the chapel. It has sails feigning being pushed by the wind, ropes going from top to bottom, and a strong bow. It is the picture perfect boat. I can easily imagine it being blown up to be full sized and put in the ocean. It has a familiarity to it while also sparking curiosity in me. It looks just how I picture a pirate ship from movies of my childhood, however the act of making it fascinates me deeply. I know it is far too complicated a task to just pick up and do. Someone worked extremely hard to create something that may go unnoticed by the masses. When I recognize something like that, I do my best to give it the appreciation it deserves. The same could be said for people. So many people fly under the radar, never getting the appreciation they deserve. That’s what ultimately inspired me to gift this object to Dionne. I want her to know that she is seen by someone and appreciated, even if she doesn’t realize it.