
My mother loved her garden. I remember when she passed on, at the funeral, I showcased her garden angels and a photo album titled Dotty’s Garden.
I was never a big gardener. In fact, at college, when my cactus, Buford, petrified, word got around. People from far reaches of the dormitory brought their dying plants in hopes that my green thumb could assist them.
When we moved into our current house, we were blessed with a beautiful backyard garden that the previous owners landscaped. My husband fell in love, and so did I.
A few years ago, a backyard flood destroyed our garden and our basement. It was caused by surrounding properties. To me, the flood represented how things take over and encroach upon our lives. Sometimes it is not easy to rise above those situations. It takes work.
While we had to rebuild our basement, lost a few trees, and weeds took over our garden, we solved the crux of the problem. The local government fixed the situation.
Presently, we have taken pride in this effort by slowly managing our backyard. It was not easy, and with each season, there were more challenges. You see, the garden represents life.