Fractal Division

 Is keeping me up at night. 

Totally fascinating. How it starts in nature and is also part of our bodily systems. It’s 2:04 am and this is my last fascination of the day. 

Earlier this morning, (or yesterday mid morning, to be technically correct) I stood looking outside the living room windows, which span the whole wall. There stood the tree, full of foliage, its leaves fluttering and shaking in the breeze. Learning to dance, I thought. Almost mid August, peak summer. 31 degrees. The very tree which inspired my poem, “First time dancers,” written after seeing the solitary dry leaf  lifted up and away by a gust of wind, on the autumn day, as I say looking outside in this very living room, in Amsterdam. The circle of life, also something we share with Nature. 

Two days ago, on our evening walk I noticed the very large and tall trees on approaching the green areas of the sprawling forest. I stood at the base of the tree trunk, and upon spreading my arms out wide, noticed they did not equal the girth of this majestic tree, the branches of which were touching the ground on all sides. I was standing as if enclosed in a dome of foliage, the greenery was so generous in its inclusiveness. I felt sheltered, safe, and playfully home. 

Upon turning the corner, and crossing the bridge over the still waters of the canal, we were greeted by very tall trees. Like the Dutch, their trees are tall too. K obliged me and Took out the phone to measure (thank you smart phone) its height. Twenty six meters! Another mother and daughter walking by wondered what we were looking at up in the trees, and stopped to speak with us, in Dutch. We responded in English and managed our conversation with me holding out my hands and with my fingers indicating the 26 meters. The goodbyes were said in Dutch and smiles. 

We walked towards Amsterdam Bos, however were distracted by the outdoor gym. I did some leg presses, and realized my legs were still as strong as my RDV days. My saving grace from all the walking I would do during my teens, twenties, and all of my thirties. Fortunately the world across the pond brings that walker back to action. 

Deciding to return home, passed a few very well populated Allotments, with all kinds of fruits, vegetables and flowers growing bountifully. A fog tree sans fruit, but an apple tree, quite loaded. A massive sunflower, much larger than my palm. On the walk back, one of the allotments had a wooden box with the words GRATIS engraved on it in black. A few sprigs of green overflowing out of it naturally inviting me closer. It did not seem to be coriander, nor parsley..and before I could take another guess, there I was and saw a bunch of carrots nestled inside. A woman emerged from the allotment carrying a wicker basked loaded with an assortment of harvested produce. I waved the carrots at her and thanked her. Very sweet carrots- the traditional kind, red not orange. 

Have guests coming over, and the carrots will be used in a gajar-aloo-and lots of mattar sabzi! That seems a nice note to end upon. And maybe the smile on my face from this reminiscing will come with me to bed, and leave thoughts of fractal divisions for another day. A not too far off day to be sure! 

Fractal division, you leave me fascinated! And hungering for more. 

Veenu Banga

August 14, 2025

2:47 am.