Jake Phillips

It was around first grade when my mother decided to go back to school to continue her education. With her in school and my dad working, the responsibility to take care of us usually fell on my Grandma. I remember walking around her patio and feeling so little amongst the plants in her garden. She had these huge shoots of snake grass planted right against the side of the house to ward off pests, and a huge pomegranate tree in the backyard covered in plastic bags to protect the fruits from the squirrels that would often be scene plotting at it's base. Above all however, my favorite plant of hers was the japanese maple planted in the front yard. With nothing but grass around, it was the first thing we saw when we came to the hosue, and in combination with the sounds and smells coming from inside, it would always bring a sense of calm over me. To this day I chase that feeling. I've tried my hand at gardening myself. About two years ago I bought a Mandarin Tree thats been very fulfilling to help nurture and grow, but it didn't quite scratch that itch. I did daily reflection and meditation, which gave me some insight into myself, but again that sense of serenity still wasn't there. What i've begun to realize however, is that my goal may only be attainable as a sum of it's parts. And maybe what gave my Grandma her peace, are the same steps of self-improvement I must take myself.