Memorial Day Gardening

"You shall be like a watered garden." Isaiah 58:11

After praising the Lord and praying for all of this country's veterans at morning Mass and attending a Memorial Day Parade with my family, I join with many others in my community, and begin to plant my vegetable and flower gardens. My children, Justin and Mary enjoy getting right into the dirt with me, and after a long day, we can be proud of the accomplishments that will bear fruit and beauty all summer long. My dad had the ultimate green thumb and could produce a beautiful, lush garden from the most clay-baked soil. It will be 3 years this July since my dad passed away, and when I am in the garden, it is then that I miss him the most. He was a veteran of WWII's 8th Air Force, so I honor him today with this blog.

Life in a Garden

My dad and I were very different. He was extremely quiet, and I can’t stop talking. When we were together, I had nothing to say. He taught me that it’s ok to be silent. He taught me that love doesn’t have to be spoken, but it can be silently shared with actions.

He gave me a great gift. That gift is a love for God’s great earth. He was a lover of gardens and trees. It is there that he found peace from his many troubles.

Like my dad, I too find peace in a garden. There is nothing more peaceful than kneeling in a strawberry patch, smelling the sweet berries, watching my fingers turn pink as my basket fills with so many red treasures.

There is great strength in turning the earth and hoeing the weeds. There is extreme satisfaction in pushing a small seed into the dark, cold earth, and watching beautiful flowers grow from it. There is glorious joy in sharing the bounty of fruits and vegetables with friends and family.

This love found in gardening doesn’t require any words; it is also a silent love. But it is a deep, profound love. It’s no wonder that life began in a garden.

Thank you, Dad, for sharing this love of gardening with me.