Written by Savanna Payne
Edited by Christine Huang
Introduction:
Every individual is different. Their likes and dislikes, their health, and their mentality are all influenced by individual cultures. Their family traditions, religious practices, level of income, even the types of foods a person grew up eating can create cascading effects on their future decisions. While these differences across people and families can be often discussed in a critical manner, it is important to view these differences with an open mind—a blank slate—especially when it comes to understanding mental health. Similar to how no two people are alike, no two people have the same needs for bettering their mental health. Some may seek therapy, and some may not. There is no right, nor one, pathway to improve one’s mental health.
The Garden of Minds
Look! How many gardens I see!
In one garden, the flowers may bloom in quiet rows,Their petals soft, not for the sun’s harsh gaze,But for the earth’s deep hum and the wind’s secret whispers,
They listen.Here, minds grow like roots in the soil,Tending to their own quiet needs,Not needing the touch of others to know they are whole.
Look! How many gardens I see!
In another garden, the flowers rise to meet the sky,Their stems straight and proud,Bright bursts of color, open for the world to see.Here, they are like open windows,Letting in the sunlight and rain of others’ thoughts,Ready to share the weight of their dew.
Look! How many gardens I see!
But between the two gardens, there is a fence—Not high, but woven with threads of silence and history.On one side, the soil is rich,But the flowers are hesitant,Shading their roots from the curious help of strangers,
Buds just out of reach from the sun’s warmth.
On the other, the flowers are bold,But the earth feels worn;
DryAs though it has given too much to those who never asked for help.
Look! How many gardens I see!
A fence not built to divide,But to protect, to shelter, to supportA patchwork of ways we cope,Ways we try to be whole,In a world that’s often too loud and too fast.
The garden of minds, so different, yet the same—Each flower, each root, each quiet thought,Yearns for the same thing:To be understood,To grow,To bloom
Look. How many gardens I see.
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