The Gift of a Garden

Growing older involves lots of changes. Children become best friends and mentors. Amazingly beautiful, brilliant people known as grandchildren make one’s acquaintance and if you’re really lucky, you get a daughter-in-law who builds her mother-in-law a container garden.

The view out my living room window has changed since yesterday. Large flower pots sporting blooming plants, a vine that will climb up a porch post, a small evergreen, solar lights, and a carpet of mulch brighten the triangular area alongside the sidewalk.  This is due to the discerning eyes and hard work of my daughter-in-law and granddaughter. And today Matt and Dawn will add the finishing touches. What a perfect birthday gift! This one does not wear out nor become old. It will only become more gorgeous as it takes root, adjusts, and offers a haven to bees and butterflies. Could it be that this garden is an analogy of life? Don’t we have to adjust and grow with each passing year? I don’t know that I would want to attract bees and butterflies but I’d like to think that age brings an inner beauty.

So thank you, Matt, Dawn, Sara and Nathan. A lot of hard work and caring went into this birthday gift,  the gift that will grow and brighten my bit of Arkansas hopefully for many years to come.