Grandma's Fig Tree

There are plenty of places where kids can be themselves like school, time with their parents, or at any other moment as they grow up. There is also talk about losing the magic of childhood as an adult. We end up getting swept away by our responsibilities with little to no option for the freedom that comes with youth. Our families change, we aren’t exploring the world in the same way, and we become occupied with different activities. For as much as people do not want to lose that magic, we consistently find exactly that occurrence to be all too common. 

Still, for those who are lucky enough, there is always a sense of that childhood magic at home with their grandparents. As Alex Haley explained in a statement over 30 years ago: “Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.” Somehow, grandparents are able to create a unique space for children that allows creativity and an irreplaceable freedom. It’s not that we can’t have this space on our own, as adults but more that we need it when we are young. We need to be allowed to fully explore and learn about life and who better to learn from than those closest to us that have the most to share. 

There are so many memories to choose from, when reminiscing about my grandparents but - for me - there is something special about their garden and the fig tree, which is why I’ve included a fig tree candle as one of my favorite scents.

A simple fig tree in my grandparents’ garden reminds me of as many associations with my childhood as possible. One of my fondest memories was climbing into and around the tree. I would do this for play, with my relatives, but it was something that was also a chore, a responsibility. I would be tasked with collecting the figs throughout the season. I never thought that something as simple as spending time in a tree would lead to memories and habits I continue to hold dearly. 

It was not just the tree that stimulates these memories. After playing in the garden and collecting figs, I remember all the time spent in the kitchen: so many hours just washing and cutting the fruit for all the dishes we would have, even just eating them as we passed the time. But my favorite thing to do was make jams. I remember the sweet aroma coming from placing the figs over heat, impossible to escape, not that anyone would want to. 

Now that I’m older, going back to my grandparents’ house is not so simple. I have my own life and my own responsibilities, it’s rare that I can truly be a child anymore. Still, I keep those memories close, ensuring that I look for the magic that they shared with me. I may not be able to play in the same garden or make the same memories making figs but I know that this magic exists and I can look for it in other places. As much as I may want to return to my childhood, I know that I cannot and that I can only use it as a memory for the things I love in life, that which is most important to me. 

With this, I hope to inspire you to find your magic wherever you may go: travelling to a new city or even just adding your own twist on an old recipe. The best of experiences are filled with a sprinkle of magic which wraps us in such a way that our soul is reinvigorated. This fig tree candle represents the moments when we find renewed life or remember the novelty of something mundane or simple.