When I moved into my townhouse shortly after my divorce 4 years ago, the garden š š š was a shamble and in disarray [the tenants obviously werenāt the āgreen-fingersā type] so I pretty much had to start from scratch with everything from the root up.
I decided to get my house š” in order and focus on creating this new space on which to āimprintā with my twins (a.k.a. the minions), a space to nurture and call OURS. When I say nurtureā¦. I really mean āgo to garden jail, do not pass GO and definitely do not collect R200ā. The most empowering part of this was that all the decisions were mine, no one to confer with, no one to dissect my choices [a bit of girl power].
So, I commenced with āProject Garden Overhaulā⦠one flower bed š¹šš» and patch of grass at a time. Itās taken a couple of summersāļø to get it just the way I want it, but Iām really proud of it [insert cheesy grin here]. Itās become a very content place, full of ridiculously loving and healing energy š«ā„ļø for myself, my boyfriend and the minions to relax and spend time together.
If you read a little deeper, youāll see thereās a huge analogy here šš» āProject Overhaulā wasnāt just about my garden, š»š“š³ but rather about me and who I was going to become as an individual after my disconnection from matrimony.
Part of this transition to independence started when I was retrenched from my 8-4 job while I was still busy with chemo in 2019⦠and realized that I was completely unemployable due to treatment. So, after a short stint with a business partner, I realized that I wanted to do this on my own and remove the stress of two salaries and just focus on what I needed. šŖš¼ I was terrified, but it was the best decision I have made⦠itās worked [or rather itās always going to be a work in progress - as my business morphs and matures] some months are a little slow but the wheels are turning and I get to be who I am and express myself in a way I have never been able to before.
Lockdown has taught me a lot about who I have become. Who would have thought that I would be content [OK, maybe content is not the best descriptive word for it⦠untroubled, unconcerned, at ease, tranquil] with staying at home for twelve-months? As it turns out I came out the other side unscathed and still based at home due to my ācompromised immune systemā Iāve learned that anything can be done with my imagination, my MAC š» and a fibre line.
My relationship is stronger than ever⦠šš in our first two years together weāve survived a retrenchment, two start-up businesses, a global pandemic, a cancer recurrence and a partridge in a pear tree! Heās a bit of a Rockstar. šŗš¼
The minions are my reason for living⦠every-single-day I am overwhelmed at how lucky I am that I get to be their mom [even right now as Iām trying to write, one is having a tantrum because he canāt play Minecraft on the iPad and the other is way too quiet in her room⦠letās hope she didnāt get her nail polish out] š š¼. Itās a tough job, as any parent will tell you, but I wouldnāt trade it for all the dollars šµon earth.
So, back to the garden⦠Iām looking at it now through the dining room window, š itās lush, itās peaceful, itās exactly what I want it to be. Iām prepared for the fact that during Winter,āļø itās going to die off a little bit, the grass always looks a little browner and we have to water it a little more often. But, there is life under the faƧade and it will bloom again⦠[think about that analogy again]
No matter what hits you, and we all have our bad times⦠no matter what you see on social media, even those with the āperfectā lives still have their troubles. Remember the warmth of the sun is just around the corner, and the storm may seem so restless right now, but without that precious rain, your garden will not grow.