The Garden of My Mind

As I walk through my garden I am reminded of the blessings that surround me, and the awesomeness of the universe. The flowers engage all my senses as they attract pollen-happy birds, bees and butterflies. My sense of sight engages the physical beauty of every flower's petals, stems and leaves; my sense of smell their aroma; my touch their rough and their silky parts; my hearing the sound of the pollinators as they practice their profession; my sense of taste, the sweetness or tartness of the edible plants once at home now in my kitchen.

I am drawn to the blades of grass; the difference in their color where the sun shines and where it doesn’t and to the noisy sea gulls, pelicans, ibises, parrots, doves and peacocks that come to rest on their verdant blanket or on the pilings at the dock. Colorful butterflies flutter past me, while toads and iguanas breach the barriers of the seawall, the ramparts of palms I planted from coconuts a decade ago and have watched grow over 20 feet tall, swaying provocatively in the breeze. The curvature of their trunks and the swaying of their fronds invite me to come close, knowing they are healthy, strong trees that I may lean upon on a whim, or provide relief from the hot summer sun. Some are heavy with coconuts ready to fall and others have no coconuts at all, each different, each beautiful testimonials to my time here.

The mango tree is now dormant till next season,

while the star fruit tree and the avocado tree are full of ready-to-eat fruit for treats from morning juice to evening salads. This is a garden to fill the senses with awe and wonder bringing my heart so much joy and appreciation for the gift of life and nature so precious to all of us.