Three Stories

Life. A tenacious beast. Last week I watched a turtle lay eggs in a field along a fairway on a golf course. She was pretty exposed, but there was a fence between us so I’m guessing it would have been hard to really disturb her. She knew we were there, though, because she drew her head back when my brother approached to look. But she just kept dropping eggs and we went on our way.

At the corner of our porch is a pecan tree. It got its start when a squirrel buried a nut and forgot about it. Since the nut wasn’t going to be food, it started to grow, because life. Of course, the corner of the porch isn’t really a place for a pecan tree, so I’ve always cut the tree back at the end of the season, expecting it to succumb. And every spring, it sprouts again. It’s doing it this year. At this point, it’s a nice looking bush, and I’m inclined to let it bush for a while longer.

Two years ago, I planted a Gregg’s Mist Flower in little flower bed that is home to a Mexican plum tree and two Turks Caps. It did well that first season, but I thought it had succumbed to the drought last year. But to my surprise and delight I noticed new growth the other day, and I’m waiting for flowers. And isn’t that what life is all about? Making do like the turtle with a less than ideal situation. Keeping on like the pecan after you find yourself in a bad spot. Hunkering down like the Mist flower and waiting for better days. Living, regardless of the circumstances, keeping on.

John W Wilson

Gatewood Press is a small, family owned press located in the Hill Country of Texas.

http://www.gatewoodpress.com
Previous
Previous

Flowers

Next
Next

Garden Life