We must cultivate our own garden. –Voltaire
The great Spanish poet, Antonio Machado, asks, ‘What have you done with the garden entrusted to you?’ The paradox embedded within this powerful question is that I am both the garden and the gardener. My garden is composed of five dimensions: the Physical, the Intellectual, the Emotional, the Spiritual and the Social (think: Relationships). At times during my life one or more of these gardens becomes neglected, begins to ‘die’ and can even become ‘hidden’ from my consciousness.
When my daughter, Rebecca, was young I read her ‘The Secret Garden’ [written by Frances Hodgson Burnett and published in serial format beginning in the autumn of 1910]. This is a hope-filled book. Our heroine, ten-year old orphaned Mary is sent to live with her reclusive uncle in the wild Yorkshire moors. Each day she explores her surroundings and one day she finds a high-walled garden. Mary visits the wall and yearns to enter into the garden; but she cannot find the door. The wooden gate is hidden by vine-over growth. Mary is curious and patient; she returns to the wall, day- after-day, searching and seeking.
One beautiful day she sees a bird sitting high on the wall; all of a sudden the bird takes flight and lands on the ground. Mary watches the bird intently and as she is doing so she spies what appears to be the top of an old key. Mary digs and digs and uncovers a rusty aged key; to her surprise she looks up and sees the key-hole. Filled with excitement and wonder Mary fits the old key into the key-hole and with the determination that provides extra strength she slowly turns the key. The gate is unlocked; the door to the garden is pushed open and Mary steps into the garden, once hidden, now open to her presence. Mary, with the assistance of friends and the companionship of the chirping bird, brings the garden back to life. The garden is restored to its ‘nature’ – that of being a garden.
At times I need to rediscover one or more of the dimensions of my garden; then I need the help and support of others to nurture this dimension back to their ‘nature’ – back to life. Although I am the garden and the gardener I also know that I must have the support, care, and assistance of others if I am going to maintain a healthy garden; if I am going to keep my garden growing.
Sometimes these care-givers actively support me, sometimes they provide me encouragement, sometimes they act as mirrors and reflect the state of my garden and its dimensions back to me [and this awareness does not always bring me comfort]. Each believes in me and trusts that I could nurture into life my gifts and talents.
Each morning as I awake my first thoughts are thoughts of thanksgiving; I am thankful for the many persons who have been, and are, there for me. I am a better gardener and my garden is more resplendent today because of these folks. My eyes fill with tears of gratitude as I sit here typing these words.
In search of my mother’s garden I found my own. –Alice Walker
Searcher-Seeker 