7 am. With the early morning dew showering blades of grass with tiny diamonds, and the roosters crowing like a wretched chorus, I roll myself out of bed, making my way outside to the garden where my grandpa was already working. He was near the chicken incubator, and I stepped in just in time to see the tiny beak of a new life making it’s way into the world. Time slows down, freezing for a moment….

We worked on lots of projects that day, but as I look back, the most memorable things weren’t the giant 8 foot tall sunflowers or the blazing heat. Instead, it was the tiny details, nestled into quiet moments: the peep of newborn chicks, their downy coats just barely emerging. The crispness of apples, slowly enjoyed after a long day of work, washed down with piping hot tea, spirals of mist dancing through the air. The velvety petals of roses and poppies, slowly opening throughout the day before returning to closure as the sun went back to sleep. It was the unhurried moments that stayed with me the most, and as I head back home, into a chaotic school week, I will treasure them for days to come.