Meeting My Plot: a paragraph.

My plot is in the "backyard" of West Side Christian School, where I went to school through elementary and middle school. It is actually part of a Nature Preserve, but it is undeveloped. The Nature Preserve is a memorial to one of West Side's greatest teachers, Brian Dyk, who loved science but unexpectedly passed away from a heart attack one school morning when he was in his early thirties. I chose this plot because not only did my family know Mr. Dyk through West Side, my dad was also close to his family growing up. Our families were intertwined, and he was very special to the entire Bonnema side of my family. My family really pushed to get this Nature Preserve constructed, and we continue to help care for the trails, signs, and clearings, putting in a labor of love.

In my plot you can see the occasional deer, woodchuck, chipmunk or squirrel. There are many types of birds, but there is also poison ivy, so watch out! You can hear the wind tickling the trees, the birds chirping, and the lyrical sound of school children laughing if you come during the day. You can smell the earthiness of wet moss and see the softening of fallen logs.  You can almost taste the sweet beauty of this Preserve. There is a dried up pond that occasionally gets filled in the winter, and there are stunning wild flowers that bloom. This plot is a terrific memorial to a wonderful man that God created, but it is also a living testament to God's creation and a world we too often miss in the business of daily lives.