Two years ago, I designed the bare garden passage of our home. The passage had a narrow channel of ground filled with building rubble left behind from construction. My vision was a passage filled with orchids and flowers. Each segment of orchids would be divided by five pillars of jasmine. The idea is for the jasmine to grow into an arch creating a tunnel of sweet-smelling and blooming flowers. The vision in my mind seemed so clear and beautiful, but the steps to get it there required a lot of effort.
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| Garden passage two years later, 31 Jul 2022 |
The jasmine would need to stretch at least five metres in length to create an effective arch. Therefore, the jasmine required deep holes and thus was a challenge as the garden passage runs along the boundary wall, so I needed to avoid digging into the wall's foundation. After considerable digging and pulling out bricks, mini boulders, plastic, and all sorts of building rubble, I had cleared five holes.
The ground was not suitable for planting, and over the following weeks, I spent time mixing landscaping soil and fertiliser to ensure the earth was balanced. I then ran an irrigation pipe down the passage for easy watering and spent time regularly applying moisture to the newly laid soil. After a good couple of weeks, I could finally begin the fun part of planting and designing.
Two years later, the jasmine has climbed over two meters in length and is now ready to erect the arches. Some of the orchid plants are well in their age and are older than I, with some coming from Madeira. I was fortunate to buy these from a family member moving homes, which has formed the garden's real art piece. Finally, I covered the ground with a creeping flower that created a lush carpet of beauty.
I have waited two years to write this blog because it is only worth noting to have something to show for it.
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| Garden passage after digging holes, 26 Sep 2020 |
Why does everything in life require effort and struggle?
"Cross, toil, anguish: such will be your lot as long as you live. That was the way Christ went, and the disciple is not above his Master." (The Way, 699)
I may sound repetitive, always returning to quote something from the beginning. However, the first book of the Bible contains essential information about why we humans tend to be sinful and why it can sometimes feel like the world is so messed up.
God wishes we never sin but loves us so much he gives us the freedom to choose without forcing us to make a specific choice. After Adam and Eve fell into the temptation to sin, it came with a consequence. The consequence of sin is that to enjoy the fruits of the earth; we will have to suffer by working hard to earn the reward of eating those fruits for the rest of our life on earth (Genesis 3:17).
In other words, we need to work to earn money to enjoy the material things of life, work hard to make ends meet, and sweat to see the benefit of our labour. Nothing in life will ever come easy as a reminder of the stain of our sins. The story of Adam and Eve is simply a placeholder for my name and yours. The problem with only reading the Old Testament is that it can easily make you feel like there is no hope for our fallen nature. Instead, the New Testament fulfils the Old Testament, and Our Lord, Jesus Christ, has confirmed the hope that this suffering on earth is not in vain.
"I am the resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 19:25-25)
Preparing a garden takes effort, patience and time. At first, it isn't easy to see the vision come together, but with each passing month, the signs of progress are visible in the growth of the plants. Before you know it, the garden is filled, and all the blisters and stiff muscles from the physical labour paid off. The effort to keep the garden does not stop, but careful maintenance is required to keep things manicured.
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| Orchid in bloom, 31 July 2022 |
As Christians, the garden we await is the garden of heaven. That garden is a perfect collection of the fruit of our work on this side of the earth. No garden on earth could ever compare to its splendour, beauty and tranquillity. In the garden of heaven, there is no longer the stain of sin present, and so that garden grows without any human effort but instead mirrors the perfect vision of the world before that first sin.
We all feel the weight of the burden of work or life, the struggle that meets us every day, or the effort required to persevere. In these moments, realise it is normal and imprinted in our humanity. If that is challenging, then we need to dig deep to discover that the hope for eternity awaits us, and when we enter heaven, we will see the beauty of our gardens prepared through a lifetime of struggle.
"When I made myself a prisoner at the age of fifteen, I gave up for ever the delights of rambling through meadows bright with the treasures of spring. Well, I never possessed so many flowers as I have had since entering the Carmel. In the world young men present their betrothed with beautiful bouquets, and Jesus did not forget me. For His Altar I received, in abundance, all the flowers I loved best: cornflowers, poppies, marguerites—one little friend only was missing, the purple vetch. I longed to see it again, and at last it came to gladden me and show that, in the least as in the greatest, God gives a hundred-fold, even in this life, to those who have left all for His Love." (Excerpt from The Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux)
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