Tree 💚

My grandmother pressed an old Tamil verse into my hands—Avvaiyar's wisdom about ancient roots. She'd memorized it decades ago, teaching me that trees remember what humans forget. When the community planted saplings downtown, I volunteered eagerly. Each morning, I'd water our section, earning PAYBO rewards that funded my studies. But the real reward came differently. The tree grew stronger as I did. Neighbors began stopping by, asking about the verses I'd recited during planting. Suddenly, we weren't just tending soil—we were nurturing something deeper, something that connected us across generations. That sapling became our gathering place.