On my daily commute to work I usually get stuck at a light on the corner of a busy street and a small side street. On that corner is a house that has probably been there since the 1950's. I noticed this particular house because of it's beautiful and meticulously cared for, yet eclectic garden.
The woman who cared for this garden was well into her years, but she never let that stop her from doing what she obviously loved. She was out there every morning at a quarter to nine, although she probably started her work well before I was driving by. Rain or shine, she was there tending to the weeds, (that must have grown overnight) pruning the roses, chasing off bugs or sweeping the sidewalk.
I'm sure I could see her having private and intimate conversations with her precious blooms, lost in her world, and I'd be willing to bet she had a name for each one of them. No matter how badly my morning had started, how late I was or how much I dreaded going to work, a smile would always cross my lips to see her working happily and chatting away.
One morning as I was stopped at the stop light anxiously waiting for it to turn green, I looked over to spot my friend who's name I did not know, but she was not there. The next day and yet again, she was not there. Several weeks passed before I noticed the "For Sale" sign posted out front.
Each day the signs of neglect take their toll. The vines that once happily climbed the trellis have turned brown and fallen, the weeds have all but taken over and the flowers of many colors have all faded away. It breaks my heart a little each time I drive by. But, I remind myself that life is really just temporary for all of us. The trick is to make everyday what you want it to be, and take the time to enjoy the simple pleasures that life has to offer.
I am sure that someday soon a new family will move into that house on the corner, and they will revive that once loved garden that brought us all so many smiles.
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