My Heart Garden

In my mind's eye, I can see them--
The amazing and brilliant
Flower gardens
On the family farm where I grew up.

I can remember my mother's
Joy in working on them
In planting the new flowers
And weeding so they would flourish

Or the Mother's Day
That my sisters and I planted
A whole new garden of annuals as a surprise
In the rock garden that was shaped like a heart.

And I think about the lushness of those gardens
How my mother would teach us the names of the flowers
And how the pinks and purples and hues of orange and red
Would grace those gardens, bringing so much beauty and joy

And that's the gift of Lent--
What is broken and what needs restoring
Can turn from winter into spring
As the earth breathes new life

And slowly what is dull and lifeless
Becomes vibrant and colorful
For the soil has been nurtured
And there is a resurrection song

But we are on the journey
Reflecting and examining and changing
Growing somehow the garden
Of our hearts and souls.

Journey On.