Healthy Living for the Soul

BEYOND THE GARDEN GATE

by Cheryl Floyd

While attending one of the most difficult events of my life, my mother’s wake in south Louisiana, I noticed a man standing alone. I thanked him for paying his respects for Mama.

“I am here because your mom and I were friends. I stopped by one day to compliment her beautiful flower garden. She invited me for a walk and sent me home with seeds, bulbs, and cuttings. Over the years, she taught me that gardening was more than growing flowers; it was about the hours spent caring for the plants and healing that could come from time spent in the garden.”

That man gave me an unexpected gift from beyond my mama’s garden gate; that healing from grief can also grow out of the experience of gardening. Getting lost in a project that brings us joy can offer us surprise blessings.

While sitting on a large rock in my well-landscaped yard, mourning the loss of my mama, my daughter asked, “Whatcha doing, Mama?”

“Oh, honey, I am thinking of your Grandmother.”

“Well, this is the perfect place to think of her. She loved her garden.” Mama used to say to me, “Babies and gardens need the same care. When your kids get bigger, you can give that care to your garden. Your time will come.”

It must have been my time. I began digging up dirt. I ordered truckloads of mulch to transform the Florida sand to fertile soil. When my daughters had horseback riding lessons, I filled large totes with manure for fertilizer.

While visiting my aunt in Louisiana, I told her I wished I had plants from Mama’s garden.

She led me to a row of low bushes with tiny white flowers. “These are Bridal Wreaths from your mama’s garden.” My aunt lovingly dug up two plants and loaded them into my car for the thousand-mile journey to my South Florida home. As my children grew into teenagers, my garden grew bigger. One day my neighbor stopped by, “Cheryl, how far are you going to go with this thing?”

I looked out over the expanse of my garden and replied, “I don’t know, I don’t crochet.”

“What does crocheting have to do with gardening?” “Mama told me that gardening and crocheting helped her survive my teenage years. I have two daughters; I don’t crochet, therefore, I must garden more.”

Years later I said goodbye to my south Florida home, dug up Mama’s Bridal Wreaths, and moved to a new life in DeLand. I created a space for them outside my kitchen window and began creating a new garden sanctuary. Remember my young daughter? She has two teenaged daughters of her own and she doesn’t crochet. Perhaps it’s her time to grow her garden where healing and stress release can blossom from soil to soul.

Honoring all mothers in May, thank you for ushering us into this world, I dedicate this piece to my mom, Florence, 1919-1991. She loved Day Lilies in the month of May.

Cheryl Floyd, Speaker/Storyteller and Heal your Life® Coach. Cheryl Floyd is a graduate of East Tennessee State University’s Master Storytelling program. Her career includes over thirty years in education, publishing, life coaching, public speaking, and storytelling. www.cherylfloyd.com

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