posted on September 14, 2001 12:53:52 PM new
I took a friends advise from one of my artsy- fartsy lists today and took some time out to go pick out some fall plants for my garden.
For just a while as I walked through the aisles of plants I felt like I was once again among the living. I was trying to pick out a bougenvilla from among the gallon containers they had on sale for 2 bucks at Loewes when another women came up and started sorting through them. "If you see a light pink one let me know" I told her.She looked at me kind of funny I thought.
After a minute or so of silence she looked at the two plants I had in my cart and asked if I minded some advice. "I told her okay, I'm always eager to learn", and she showed me how to pick out better specimans with less leaves but more new green shoots.
We talked for ten or fifteen minutes about our gardens and what would go well where and she gave me some really good advice and led me to some 5 gallon jasmines on sale for 5 bucks that would fill in a problem spot I have. She helped me lift the large pots into the basket and then said she had to get back to work because she just came to stroll among the flowers on her lunch break.
I thanked her and told her I would think of her every time I looked at my new corner flower garden.
She reached out touched my forearm and said "Thank you, believe me I will not forget this moment either." Her eyes were welling up with tears.
And then she left. I was kind of stunned for a moment and then it dawned on me . The women was middle eastern, not that I hadn't noticed it from moment one but I was in a gardening mindset and oblivious to everything else for one blessed moment.I was talking to another gardener, plant lover, fellow bargain shopper I hadn't been thinking in terms nationality or religion.
Now that I'm sitting at home I'm wondering how other people had been treating her that a few moments of fellowship with a total stranger could touch her so.
I always believed that our life is a series of lessons 90% of which I have been oblivious to. I think I got this one though.
posted on September 14, 2001 02:06:46 PM new
tegan - just wanted to say that I appreciate your sharing this encounter. It was my first warm-fuzzy of the day (and it's 5 pm).
posted on September 14, 2001 02:19:12 PM new
After listening all day to young people who have never seen what war does to families, friends, the world..puff up and grand stand about how "we" should do this or do that, bomb this or bomb that. Your story says it all. Thanks
posted on September 14, 2001 02:35:27 PM new
Tegan, that story brought tears to my eyes, even before you said she was Middle Eastern. Moments like that are very special.
posted on September 14, 2001 02:48:19 PM new
A very poignant moment and a beautiful job of sharing it with us. Thank you so much, your garden and you are twice blessed for having had this encounter.
Edited to add, your story attributed to a poster at AW, has been sent via email to some
200 family, friends, business acquaintences and social acquaintences, I am hopeful of sharing your lesson and that it will get passed along.
posted on September 14, 2001 05:33:29 PM new
Wonderful story, Tegan
I spent a part of my morning at the bus stop with another mother, who is from Lebanon. She told me she had received a phone call from her mother, who is frantic. The mother said she was used to the daughter worrying, not the other way around. After all, she is the one living where there is so many terrorists, so many problems.
My thoughts at that moment were for her two older daughters, age 7 and 10. What problems would they face in my small town, where there are so few peole from the Middle East?
I will be including them in my prayers tonite, hoping no one will teach these little girls how nasty some can be.
