Garden Zoomies

As my husband and I were putting Bob to rest in the middle of the garden, I took a deep breath and tried to freeze that moment. I wanted to be mindful, present and soak in that last moment having my sweet Bob by my side. It was a beautiful golden fall day, the sun was shinning directly on the garden, and the plants were slow dancing with the wind. Despite the tears in my eyes, I couldn’t help but to notice my garden vividly illustrating the cycle of life.

I noticed a few of my cold hearty herbs and veggies thriving. My cilantro and parsley had doubled in size. My kale was showing new growth and my Swiss chard had the most vibrant pinks and yellows I’ve ever seen. I noticed life in the garden.

Then I looked the other direction and noticed a gradual death. The night temperatures had been rapidly dropping in early November and my summer plants were dwindling away. My tomatoes, basil, luffa and butternut squash plants were begging to be pulled out. I harvested what I could and was happy with my yield. A yield big enough to enjoy for months to come.

Turning my head I noticed my beautiful flowers were all dead, they were my favorite part of my garden this year. They filled my days with beauty and awe. The few flowers left had visible signs of frost burn, their color was dull and all that was left was their seeds to save for next year. And looking past my flowers, I noticed the leaves falling off all of my fruit trees, a reminder that the fruit orchard was ready for dormancy until next year.

In that moment Yah revealed to me that the seasons of life, can be seen in the garden. The book of Ecclesiastes, specifically chapter 3, comes to mind when I ponder over the Fall garden. Fall is a special time in the garden when I can appreciate the beauty of life. I can literally see life sprouting before my eyes, while at the same exact time noticing the completion of a cycle (death). And while a plant dying and experiencing grief in your heart are two completely different things, it was a reminder that there is a time to mourn and a time to dance.

I included the word “healing” in the tittle of this blog post, because this revelation from Yah does help my grieving heart heal. Understanding that our lives are made up of seasons, and surrendering the “why’s” to Yah and trusting in His ways brings my heart comfort (even if I don’t understand it).