by Sandra Elizabeth

Created on: May 18, 2009   Last Updated: October 26, 2009

After being unemployed for quite some time, her self-esteem had dipped to dangerous levels and the living room couch, had become a familiar friend. As she blew her nose for the umpteenth time and switched the channel on the television set twice as much, she came across a gardening show. The man who was hosting it was mid-50 and wore a funny hat. Though he snipped away diligently, there was this peace about him, "a sense of serenity", she thought, emulating from his smile as he explained the importance of pruning a lemon tree. This captured her attention and she listened to him narrate. He continued to trim the tree and she took note, as he explained its production cycle.

There were instances in the days that followed where she found herself thinking of that show, not so much of the lemon tree itself but of the man in the funny hat. That man had (unknowingly) entered into her home at a point when she was in a miserable, weakened state and with only his demeanor, had brought her peace. She wanted to see him again and quickly found herself taping his television show.

Eventually, she had graduated from knowing how to prune lemon trees to understanding the best method of weeding dandelions and her yards (both front and back) were looking good. On one particular occasion, she noticed the smile she had on her face as she wiped the sweat from her brow. She could now relate to what had caught her attention all those weeks ago; pride (she didn't know that's what it was at the time, when she was under the covers, she just knew that she admired it). She did feel a sense of serenity but more than that, she felt proud of herself again. She hadn't felt proud of anything in months and as she looked around at what she'd reaped, she beamed.

Her garden was beautiful, "strong and healthy", she thought. However, according to the gardening show, it needs to be attended to on a regular basis, in order for it to remain that way. It was as if a light bulb went off in her head. "She was beautiful, strong and healthy", she thought to herself as she gazed at her flowers and right at that moment, she dropped her dibble stick and started attending; to herself. From that point on, she found she had a completely new outlook on life and she started attending to it faithfully. She watering it daily with a positive attitude, she raked up her appearance and tilled through the set backs that came along and eventually (as with her garden), her efforts reaped rewards.

Today she sits in her garden, relaxing within its serenity, recalling the day she started its life and she smiles (beneath her funny little hat) as this thought brings to mind the day her garden restarted hers.

Learn more about this author, Sandra Elizabeth.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.