FAITH GROWS IN A GARDEN

“Sometimes since I've been in the garden I've looked up through the trees at the sky and I have had a strange feeling of being happy as if something was pushing and drawing in my chest and making me breathe fast. Magic is always pushing and drawing and making things out of nothing. Everything is made out of magic, leaves and trees, flowers and birds, badgers and foxes and squirrels and people. So it must be all around us. In this garden - in all the places.”

 

― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

 

In solitude I find the strength

to meet each day with joy

walking in the depth of nature

praying for each girl and boy

 

In prayer I ask not for myself

but for the Hand of God

to wipe away the flow of tears

to let no-one ever be forgot

 

In nature I absorb the lessons

it teaches to my soul and start

to let the sounds of birdsong echo

in step within my beating heart

 

Since I was a little girl

I learned by heart the words of God

and those that reached to me in darkness

brought forth the light that stifled every waking sob

 

Now I have found my voice in song

in poetry and art

and share with you my thoughts and fears

the inner workings of my loving heart

 

I pray for all the World; give hope

and praise those selfless souls

who give their lives as Jesus did

to save us with their actions bold

 

Now is not the time for separateness

now is the time one heart, one mind

one soul; creates a better world

for me, for you and all mankind

 

- AP - Copyright © remains with and is the intellectual property of the author

 

Copyright © protected images please do not reproduce without permission

 

Dedicated to all peoples of the World. Never before have we been so united in our endeavour to eradicate an indiscriminate, invisible common enemy. May our egos and petty grievances be cast aside. May we be one Family. In the eyes of God we are all one. He makes no distinctions, good or bad. He forgives us for our human frailties. For those who do not believe in God, please open your minds to this thought. God may be invisible to you, but so is this disease, yet you know it is there, so why not God too … God loves us all whether or not you believe in Him, that is your choice and He gave to us free will. I believe because I have been and seen living proof, many times throughout my life, since I was seven years old. My life has been difficult and fraught with loss and illnesses and yes, hatred has been directed at me for being different; for speaking out. I have known what it is to be truly alone in childhood and growing up; to not being believed or listened to or loved, but I was born a fighter with an indomitable spirit and that doesn't mean being violent or hard. There is strength in being gentle; in being gently spoken. There is strength in love and there is strength in Faith. Even during this global pandemic I have been bullied on here for my words and had people try to alter other's opinions of me, but it does not matter. I am not important. I let my ego go a long time ago. I choose love. I spent two years of my life in silence; not speaking; not smiling. I found my voice again, but I also found you do not need to speak to make yourself heard ...

Please take good care of yourselves and of each other. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Yesterday I learned a good friend of mine has Covid-19. He reached out to me to reassure me. He is a beautiful person. A beautiful soul. If the only thing we do today is say one word or perform one act, may it be a kind word spoken in love; may it be a selfless act of kindness xxxxx

 

I hope you enjoy my video. The song, I recorded recently while I was not well, and the video is a compilation of clips I filmed within my beautiful gardens. I hope it brings some solace in these difficult times. I hug you all and pray for everyone to remain safe and healthy and for those of you who may already be sick, I pray for your complete recovery <3

 

So how did I come to have such Faith in God and Humanity, with the life I've had … I have few memories of my parents. I don't recall my Mum ever mentioning God, but my Dad did, so maybe that was the seed that began to grow in me …

All I know is that if you find yourself in a sea of tears that is growing deeper by the day, and below you, your feet are paddling wildly beneath the water, like a Swan (think how serene the Swan appears to be on the surface), trying to keep your head above; trying to keep yourself afloat; trying to stop yourself from drowning. The ocean is choppy and growing ever deeper and your feet cannot touch the bottom, while overhead the storms are raging all around you and lightning is shooting randomly from the sky. Every strike feels like you are dodging a stray bullet from some unknown enemy. You feel yourself growing tired; exhausted from the constant fight, but then someone throws you a lifeline and you cling to that small float like your life depended on it, because it literally does and then a small crack appears in the sky and a little sunlight filters through; the clouds begin to part; the sea begins to gently still and you feel yourself transported towards the shore; your feet find firmer ground and suddenly, you are walking along the beach and that small seed that lay dormant deep down in your heart and soul, begins to grow until one day, it becomes the tallest tree; the highest mountain. You thought you could never come this far; you thought that you could not climb this high. That one small seed planted so long ago can be

summed up in a single word … HOPE and to me FAITH and HOPE walk hand in hand; side by side. If I can do this, so can you, for I am nothing; I am no-one special. God bless <3

 

 

 

Done