Theme Chrisitan Chiu ‘24Theme

Regrowth

Regrowth is the paramount step in the circle of life. It represents a new beginning in an old environment. Whether the process of regrowth is as wonderful as the growth of a grand tree or as simple as a stem sprouting from a seed, it is nonetheless a beautiful process that is not to be brushed aside.

Our reunification at SJND this year was nothing short of euphoric. The students’ lively eyes and buoyant voices breathed life into the campus and into each other. In many ways, being distanced from our peers, classmates, and friends could only be described as draining. For many, much of what made life interesting was lost. There was no real connection to be shared, there were few new experiences to try, and at times there seemed to be very little direction. The days seemed to blend together, making life as dull and repetitive as it had ever been.

Despite the grim and unfavorable circumstances, we powered through. With each day leading up to the new school year, our spirits, health, and optimism slowly regained their strength and presence.

Our regrowth and reemergence from the pandemic was not like the revival of a dead plant, but rather the nourishment of an entirely new seed. We did not simply return to the status quo. We miraculously surfaced from the ruins that the pandemic had buried us in for so long with a newfound eagerness and hunger for new, dynamic experiences. Additionally, the sheer amount of solitude we were forced to endure over the last year and a half certainly trained and strengthened our mental fortitude. In these ways, the pandemic was a sort of metamorphosis that enabled everyone to grow into beautiful new individuals full of life and optimism.

The reemergence of life and joy on earth was one of the most magnificent displays of regrowth I have ever seen or experienced. In many ways, our journey over these last two years has resembled the life cycle of a dandelion.

PRISMS

PRISMS vol. 23

To begin, we lived happily in the world. Our petals fluttered in the air with breezy and free spirits. Some days we would not see rain or sunlight, but that was okay. The next day was always full of mystery and promise. Life had its ups and downs, but we always bounced back and recentered ourselves. Then, the clouds rolled in. At first, the dark gray clouds seemed familiar and did not seem to pose much harm. Surely a little storm could not do much harm. However, the rainfall never stopped. The clouds grew darker and darker until there was not a single trace of the sun. Our roots were drowned and starved by the clouds and their downpour. Our petals, which once swayed happily in the wind, slowly began to wilt under the ominous gray skies. As the storm persisted, there seemed to be no discrepancy between the days. Day after day, night after night, we were rooted to the ground, forced to endure a seemingly endless storm. At the peak of the storm’s might, our petals wilted entirely. Our vibrant yellow petals faded into lifeless white seeds. The end of the storm was nowhere to be seen, turning us dull and hopeless.

Since the days all seemed to fuse into one, there was no precise way to tell when the clouds first began to disappear; nonetheless, they did begin to fade. The rainfall became lighter, the winds gentler, and the sky brighter. The storm had lost its momentum, allowing for the sun to finally break through. Slowly but surely, warmth and light were being restored to the world. Without the chains of the storm restricting our freedom, we were simply waiting for a chance to be freed. A gentle breeze rustled through our fields, plucking our white seeds out from our stems. The friendly wind scattered us everywhere, allowing us to freely choose where to root ourselves next. Of course, it will take some time for us to grow and blossom into what we once were, but with the return of the blue skies and a bright sun, there is no limit to what the future holds for us.

PRISMS

-Christian Chiu ‘24 Writing Editor