Time seems to stand still when we think of our ancestral generations, our current family dynamic, and our future posterity. It’s quite mind-boggling that we are all connected seamlessly and also disjointedly through a tapestry of family bonds. Some of these relationships are of the most joyous nature, while others are tarnished by the choices of the ones we hold most dear. What are these relationships made of? Why do we care about who came before and who is yet to come? And why are we given these family bonds at all? These questions have always interested me in so many ways, and this project, currently titled “Roots,” seeks to explore our own family roots and how they affect who we are and who we will become. 

 

This project started as an idea I had 5 years ago to show my love and appreciation for trees. Nature has always been a way for me to get closer to deity and feel the surreal, sublime, and spiritual presence of the almighty. At that existential time of my life, it seemed that everything made sense when I got away from everyone and everything and become one with the natural world around me. So when I went on a family trip to visit Muir Woods, it was no surprise that I found myself in complete and matchless awe of the beauty around me. The forest entranced me and left me inspired with the concept for a story about one simple idea: roots. By combining my love for nature with my strong belief in family bonds, I want to make a children's book that explores these themes in simple, beautiful ways that anyone can understand.