This Leaf (speech class assignment)

Assignment: a 2-3 minute self-reflective speech with a prop.

I found this leaf a while back at Deep Eddy Pool in Austin.
Why did I bring a leaf to talk about myself? I could have brought my art supplies, printed one of my four unpublished novels, or brought any of the striped shirts that threaten to take over my closet.
You can tell a lot about a person by their tools, their toys, and their time. So why did I bring a leaf? Because things aren't that important. I can live without them. My possessions do not define me.
So how does this leaf define me? Do its exposed veins represent a fragile part of my personality? No. But I like this leaf.
You can tell a lot about a person from what they like–whether they can afford it or not, whether they admire it from a distance or come close to hold it in their hands.
The fact that I like this leaf might tell you that I like simple, free things. Things that make me wonder, or stop and think, whether those things are abstract or concrete.
These are the things that fuel creativity, a core part of who I am.
I can spend a lot of money on a fancy laptop, but those novels don't write themselves. I can own all the art supplies I could ever want, but without inspiration, what good are they?
And as for striped shirts, well, those still usually cost me something.