Secret Garden

 

                                                 Everyday is a brand new day,

                                                 everyday is a journey.

What I possess, or what I crave,

Brings no content, great God, to me,
If what I would, or what I have,
Be not possest, and blest, in Thee;
What I enjoy, O make it mine,
In making me that have it, Thine.
J. QUARLES.

I have always enjoyed a good storm whether it was a snowstorm or a thunderstorm. Whenever a storm is on it's way, I want to race home before it comes pouring down. There is something so comforting, so relaxing, so calming and reassuring when watching a powerful storm from the sanctity of one's home.  A sanctuary. A peaceful place where we find our biggest Joy and where we can feel safe from all the storms of the world.

For as long as I could remember, I have dreamt of such a place just for me. A tiny dwelling surrounded by woods, trees and flowers. A place where the only noise to be heard were the songs of the birds all day long. I have this vision in my mind of how exactly it will look. 

A home is so important. It's your special place to get away from everything chaotic and stressful. Choosing the one that fits you is key. What that may look like for me could be entirely different for you.

This past Spring, my son and his wife, sold their home. A home that I absolutely adored. My favorite spot was the porch and I have made several YouTube videos on that porch. I just couldn't get over the idea that it was being sold. I couldn't imagine another place out there that would be able to replace it. I kept driving by unexpectedly when no one was home to take one more look before it was sold. 

When the time came to pack it all up, I cried real tears for that home. I couldn't understand why anyone would want to give up a true gem such as this place. Some time passed and I went to revisit that place that held so much of my love. I was taken aback by what I saw. It didn't look anything how I remembered it. In fact, it resembled a shell like any other home out there. This couldn't possibly be my special place. 

I realized that what makes a home is not the structure itself, but the people inside it. That place was special to me, because of who lived there and made it a real home. They decorated it and filled it with things that reflected who they were as a family. A real sanctuary.

The book Secret Garden written by Frances Hodgson Burnett, spoke of such a place. A hidden, secret garden that was so special to a group of children. No one knew of it, except them. We all want to find a secret garden of our own where we can be ourselves, safe and hidden, from a destructive world. A place to run home to when the storm hits. What does that place look like to you?

Have a blessed day everyone.