It was a “Mother’s Day” gift, this garden bench to me, perhaps why I do not have the heart to give it away even when it is creaky & worn off.It stood the test of time, weathering all kinds of storm,feet firmly in the ground amidst the flowers.Being someone who loves the changing of seasons,my heart swelled with joy anticipating the arrival of Summer this year.Oh! how I loved the long days of sunshine ,glorious light & digging in the dirt planting my favorite veggies.
She stood there looking worn & tired, the winter had been too cold, the storms severe just like us she needed a facelift of some kind, the kind that makes one’s spirits sing.So off I marched to Home Depot to get some paint, having not much of an experience with spray paints was willing to try my best.It was a nice warm Spring Day, leaning towards Summer, I sat under the tree on a little stool & started my paint job one late afternoon.the birds were chirping in the trees, a kind of calm prevailed, could hear a bark of a distant dog, the kind of afternoon you soak in. Try as I might,the spray paint was no match to the windy city, the paint blew in the wind.After tirelessly trying for half an hour, I knew this was not going to work, so off I went ,to get a tin of paint & painted her, till she glowed.Needless to say, I ended up looking like Huckleberry Finn at the end of the paint job, but it was totally worth the effort. She possessed great character at the end of the paint job,with touch ups for a well worn look, after all with age comes grace!She carries herself with joy now & is a comfort for many a dog walker on a hot day, or for a little child who plays around in the evenings, a meditative retreat for me on most summer afternoons, to sit & reflect on life & how far we have come, the garden bench & me. Dressing her up, with the little flowers that grow in my container garden is a matter of great pride & joy to me,she earned her place in my heart & in my garden,in her lap I rest, on many a weary day .
P.S: My first DIY project,gives me hope for many more 🙂
What a lovely story, Maya. So many meaningful analogies. Your bench is a beauty and indeed possesses great character and offers comfort and peace to others — as do you. Thank you for sharing your story about the “bench project” with us. I loved it!
Thank you, Marielena for stopping by to read my post,so appreciate your kind words.