Anthony Lane Hinkle, Tranquili-Chi Founder
"The Man, The Myth, The Legend"
"Joy to others while fulfilling self joy." ALH 4/25/17
Anthony founded Tranquili-Chi in 2007 with the purpose of establishing a safe space and professional place for people to build their private practice. He was an amazing friend, teacher, and mentor to so many who loved him. He left this world far too soon on April 25, 2017, and he is remembered well and missed deeply.
~Anthony the Gardener~
written by Gina Miller in loving tribute to Anthony Lane Hinkle
I have so many fond memories of Anthony, but one in particular always makes me laugh out loud. It was 2009 at the Baltimore School of massage. I had just started as a teaching assistant and was coming in for my first day. I remember being filled with excitement about finally being included in the secret shenanigans that happened behind the closed door of the instructors’ office ~ we were never allowed in there as students!
I opened the door & walked in just in time to hear Anthony utter, “There are some gorgeous Wandering Jews up for grabs in room 7, if anyone’s interested.” Having nothing that even slightly resembles a green thumb, I had never heard of this type of plant & had NO idea what he was talking about! Anthony must have realized this by the dumbfounded look on my face & he proceeded to throw his head back (in classic Anthony fashion) & let out a hearty guffaw!!! He then put his arm around me & showed me what a Wandering Jew was...we shared a good laugh about that on many occasions!
That story led me to think about Anthony’s love for all living things ~ people, animals, plants, & flowers. I thought about his beautiful garden which he referred to as “his hidden country oasis in the city.” I looked through the pictures of what he had planted, cared for, & grown at his home in Stone Hill. I started thinking about Anthony the gardener. Why was Anthony so good at gardening? What does it take to be a successful gardener?
Before planting a garden, the gardener must possess a sense of purpose & a vision, as well as the ability to picture the end result. Once visualized, the gardener must then be willing to get down on his knees, in the dirt, & put the hard work in to prepare the soil. This takes determination, perseverance, & stamina, for if the soil is not cultivated as it needs to be, it will not receive the seeds properly to allow for growth.
After planting his thoughtfully chosen seeds, the gardener must now nurture & care for those seeds. He must water them consistently & fertilize them regularly. He must prune & clear away what is not helpful for growth. He must get rid of insects, moss, and parasites that would threaten development.
The gardener must be highly adaptable & a great observer. He must watch for signs of distress so he can catch problems before they get out of hand. A lot happens in a garden that is out of his control. A cool, wet season cannot be predicted, so the gardener must have an understanding of what makes his plants happy & be able to make the necessary changes for continued prosperity. He must also have a good sense of humor in order to take the punches that weather & the environment throw at him!
A good gardener takes delight in his garden and can’t wait to share the fruits of his labor. He happily gives delicious tomatoes, cucumbers, and green beans to his friends and neighbors. He takes great pleasure in posting pictures of his lovely blooms for all to enjoy and gladly gives bouquets to brighten others’ homes or offices.
Finally, the gardener must have a great deal of patience & an ability to forgive failures. Some seeds, though cared for & nurtured as lovingly as the rest, take a long time to bloom or never bloom at all. Some will die, despite the gardener’s persistent care. The gardener must not lose hope for even when a treasured plant dies, the garden does not cease to exist. The gardener can take joy in his garden as a whole!
Anthony possessed all of these traits, in spades. He was not just a gardener of vegetables, plants, & flowers...he was a gardener of people ~ his family, friends, students, & colleagues. He did the hard work of preparing us so we could receive the thoughtfully chosen “seeds” we needed. He planted those seeds at the right time. He nurtured us & cared for us & pruned away the insecurities & negative thoughts we had. And he patiently waited for us to blossom & flourish. One of the pictures from his garden that he posted on Facebook had the caption, “A fern beginning to open – so cool!” Anthony delighted in our prosperity, just as he delighted in that fern!
It is said that a single seed which sprouts can yield dozens, scores, even hundreds of new seeds. That is apparent by looking around this room today. We are all Anthony’s garden & I know he would want us to continue to grow & spread the “seeds” of love, kindness, & encouragement that he so carefully planted in each of us. I will forever love & cherish Anthony and consider myself blessed for being included in his garden.