the autobiography of a tree

I find tree stumps fascinating. You can see the growth &/ or stress of each year. Notice the nice round rings in the middle, those are the early years where everything seems to "line up." 
Then the wavy, misshapen circles start appearing where the growth is hampered or accelerated on one side or another. We learn to go with the flow during this stage.
Then come the scars and cracks, yet the rings continue to grow and heal.
And at last comes the cut that ends the life cycle, and reveals the secrets of the years past.
Fascinating!