Hi ,

Coming from a humble background, we lived in a studio apartment while growing up in the old parts of the city - Bombay - which was the commercial hub so to say. This meant that there was hardly any green space around, gardens were 15-20 mins away by road (if there was no traffic) and there were just a handful of trees on the street.

I have a clear memory of this one plant that managed to squeeze its way out of a concrete wall just opposite our home. I admired the resoluteness and resilience of it, it was like the blooming lotus in the midst of mucky water, the green speck in an otherwise concrete jungle crowded with offices, people, mobile towers, shops, temples et al.

That plant, which I could see growing every day, served as a reminder of Mother Earth I yearned to connect with. But never got the opportunity till much later in my life when I got married, and we settled down in the countryside for some years.

Slowly and steadily, the connection with Mother Earth I yearned for while growing up was getting stronger and stronger.

Like the words below,

I experienced the healing it brought to me, the touch of mud, the different textures of the leaves, the swaying of the branches with the gentle wind, growing your own vegetables - it was all so therapeutic and nourishing at a much deeper level.

Somewhere along the way, my journey got entwined with nature, I took up the role of a gardening teacher at my son’s school, and what a fulfilling job that was. Although it happened during the pandemic and had to be conducted online, the thrill and excitement on children’s faces when a seed sprouted was palpable. I used to receive mails and photos from children showing me how their plants were doing, which was a reflection of how children themselves are so intimately connected to nature.

That took me back to my childhood days when I could see that plant growing out of the wall and felt the joy when the leaves turned green, and it grew tall.

Whenever you get the opportunity, spend time in nature, take your children outdoors, go for a hike in the mountains, find your nature trail, plant seeds, and feel this innate connection we hold within us all with Mother Nature.