The warmth of the California sun shined directly on my tanned face, waking me from my deep nap. I was dazed and petulant as ever. I had my colored pencils and black sketchbook scattered all over the polyester car seats. I raised my head with the intention to take a peek at where I was, but instead, I quietly shrieked after seeing my disheveled brown hair in the rear-view mirror. I finally took a look outside, catching a glimpse of nothing but houses, cars and roads. My mom was relaxed with her legs crossed, as usual, while my dad had fully devoted himself to the last few minutes of driving until our destination. Checking the clock, I realized we had a long day of adventure ahead of us. I dozed off a bit more until we finally arrived. There I sat, looking in astonishment from our tiny rented car, at the luxurious city of San Marino, California’s Huntington Botanical Garden.Â
My parents and I started walking toward the magical realm of 120 acres of pure beauty. We were all thrilled to explore each of the legendary themed gardens. The warmth, and particularly the orchids at the front door, calmed and comforted me. Was this going to be my new source of inner peace? Would interacting with nature bolster my happiness? I continued walking to find out. We made our way through a long path outlined by white orchids and pink camellias. I instantly felt welcomed and eager to investigate the rest of the park. We started to take millions of pictures in hopes to store all the memories that were going to be made that day.Â
I lost my mind and found my soul as we walked into the forest. Hiking through the warm soil made me realize that nothing existed but the sounds of bird chirps, tree rustles and wind whispers. People were walking, jogging and sitting on the grass. Every individual I saw was silent, enjoying the calmness of the garden. Breathing the pure air seemed more common than indulging in conversation. There was no judgment or discrimination, everything and everybody seemed equal. This led to my contemplation of the similarity between humans and plants. Both are living organisms, sometimes living in harmony and sometimes in mayhem.
Nature also has its thunderstorms, not always making it a pleasant place. I believe that chaos is inevitable, and sometimes life doesn’t always fall into place smoothly for humans either. I started to wonder, can nature really change daily prejudices and make people forget about the cruelty of the world? As we hiked more, I began to worry less, but the chronic flow of all my thoughts continued.Â
I was standing on the moon bridge of the Japanese Garden and as I crossed it, I felt like all my troubles were left behind. It was as if I had conquered every obstacle in my way. It felt like a connection from my past to the newborn present. I stared at the horizon for a while, admiring the high mountains and captivating sky. I breathed a sigh of relief while I pondered to myself: How can Mother Nature create all these beautiful natural treasures? Each flower is unique, with some pied or patterned, yet all satisfied me with their fresh aroma. The canopy of trees gave me a sense of protection from the dangers of the outside world. I stood there for a while until my dad snapped me back into reality, literally. We proceeded to wander throughout this haven until the sky broke like an egg into a full sunset.
We were back in our car now, driving out of our fantasies and into the real world. I stared out of the car window with my chin resting on my palm, and I suddenly thought to myself: Do we value nature enough? I figured my visit to the Huntington Botanical Garden made me realize its importance. I’ve taken many precautions to protect the chronically polluted Earth of ours for years now, which is why it made me realize more than that. This journey with nature gave me a sense of healing. The six hours I spent with my family in the garden gave me the mental cleanse that I longed for for years, from all the stress and chaos of the world. In reality, I would rather listen to the sounds of birds than the sounds of people. The healing power of nature is evident every day, calming my spirit and nurturing my body and mind. No matter where I go, nature will always fuel my energy and constant curiosity.Â
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