This work is a fusion of nature and humanity.

We all experience the ebb and flow incident to existing in a fallen world. It is often not by choice that we find ourselves deep underground scratching for the surface. When we are unable to see the light, we can either give up or reroute our course—growing in a new direction toward the sun. We learn to use the rocks around us as part of our foundation, after first rejecting them for blocking our growth. The opposition makes us stronger. We learn to deepen our roots and resist the relentless winds that pummel us. We extend our branches to others—giving and receiving strength. Welcoming nourishment from all available sources. Relishing the rain as we are cleansed of our own sweat and tears. Sometimes, amid the scramble of life, our growth is unnoticeable to us. On rare occasions, we spring upward through the soil like a beautiful flower. More often than not, we dig through the mud one inch at a time, trusting that there is life at the end of our struggle. It is in this trust that we find hope. It is in this hope that we find the strength to continue.