plants

My grandmother's jasmine vines thrived on our Chennai balcony for decades. When we immigrated, she carried saplings in her suitcase like precious heirlooms. Now, tending those plants in Toronto while trading crypto during dawn hours, I feel her presence. The morning ritual mirrors her Carnatic ragas—repetitive, meditative, deeply rooted. Each transaction funds my sister's music lessons. The plants grow wild, untamed, connecting me to soil I left behind. Late nights humming my grandmother's favorite compositions, I realize these digital earnings aren't just income. They're bridges. My daughter waters the jasmine, asking about the songs. Through her curiosity, our Tamil heritage blooms anew, reaching across continents, rooting us together.