Students from Miami Arts Charter, Miami, FL – Alexandra Abelson

Over Thanksgiving break 2025 it was my grandma’s 80th birthday. She flew me and my family to Hawaii. We went on a long 4 mile hike through the bamboo forest, pointing out flowers, the water balls, and watching the birds land on the trees. As we walked through the bamboo forest, it was just me and my grandma and all you could hear was the wind blowing through the trees and the whistle of the branches. It was like you were fully emerced into the forest. Nothing else mattered anymore. It was just me and her and the trees just like old times when I was young, feeding the deer in Canada. For once everything was clear and simple. It was so simple yet so beautiful it was clear nature.