Pansies are.....What, Now? (News Article)

Read 'em and weep, then finish with a laugh!

I have to laugh because we have a younger neighbor who knew less than I did about flowers and all the different kinds of plants. I just started gardening some a few years ago but with the way I write all day, operate in an online ministry, and take care of my household, I forget what I’m planting. I’m still the one who takes the envelope of the seeds and sticks it in the pot just so I can remember. Although I knew what a philodendron was or a wandering Jew plant, it took me nearly 4 years to realize that my husband had planted a hasta in our rock garden. I can’t for the life of me figure out what the others are called.
So when Peggy (not her real name ) knocked at my door, and said she had some “green thingies” to replant from a flower pot, I suppressed the giggles. When I got to her backyard, I saw some nicely placed bushes, a few little neat patches of wild flowers that outlined her back patio, and even some lavender ground cover which accentuated and encircled the newly planted pear trees. She led me to the “green thingie”, and then proceeded to show-and-tell me about how these ‘thinga-ma-jiggers”(pansies) that were purchased in this “what-not”( a plastic planter) couldn’t “unflop” out so she could re-pot it in the dirty stuff with the white pearls(potting soil), I had to laugh. We both got a kick out of her jargon.
The funniest part, though, was when she decided she would plant the reddish horn plants (trumpet flower arrangement) that surrounded a baby green stump(evergreen) in a tiny corner near her porch. I tried not to say much, because there was a time when I excitedly planted something that would have rooted out the foundation of our home hadn’t I realized that it may have looked tiny as a starter but would eventually grow. I asked her if she intended on removing her porch once it had a two year birthday, and that’s when she realized it wouldn’t be ideal.
“ I can’t help it,” she said. “ I’d been a city girl during my youth at the first part of my marriage, and we had the money to pay gardeners- they used to do all of this. We even hired someone to pick out what he thought would look good! I don’t think we appreciated it until...”.
Her faced dropped. I knew that this newer neighbor wasn’t too happy about something that interfered. She went on to say that she lost everything when her husband took her for a money ride, and left without a trace. On top of it, she didn’t have any children to care for, and went through owning cats, birds, fish and some Dobermans to keep her company. She lost nearly everything-her home, her stocks and bonds, all of her savings. I didn’t know exactly how that happened, but she must have had no control so long that she didn’t know what to do when she lost it. I felt sorry for her but I saw how we could use this new time in her life to learn a good deal of planting while enjoying it, so we just continued to do what had to be done.
I briskly took the table fork out of her hand that she was using to plant the evergreen, and replaced it with a small shovel I’d kept in my shed. We replanted, and laughed, cried, and laughed some more. But the best thing is we had good company with one another. I even started to mock her not knowing the names of things, and told her that at least she doesn’t have her “age” to blame, as I do. I think it made Peggy feel better from what she said as the planting session came to an end.
“You know...I often asked God why everything happens this way. I’m ashamed to say that I wouldn’t have asked him hadn’t I lost it all. “
“ No”, I added. “ You’re right. Just like you didn’t know that you wanted the trumpet flowers, and your newly planted evergreen until you didn’t have them anymore.
"Now, you even know what they really are!”
We smiled, but the bittersweet pain was lingering in her eyes.
Guess we have to suffer some to know that there’s room for a bigger picture, a better focus, and a new life, whether it be a plant or a new communication with the God who allowed it all to happen. As it says in Romans 5:3, “ Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
So is that what we were doing in her garden? Rejoicing? I’ll look forward to sharing with her again in the event she wants to open up about anything else. Suffering’s got a way to bring us to a different place in our hearts as well as our memories.
That’s convicting and profound. Makes me wonder though. What’s MY excuse? Oh ,that’s right. Age! Muse

When gardening with a new or strange neighbor who doesn't know the names of things turns out to be more of a destined path, it is with greatest pleasure that we meet with reason to grow together!