11.10.2025 | Ordinary Monday

​The Garden Knows: Embracing Change with Grace
The garden teaches me: what fades is not lost, but transformed.
 
Isaiah 43:19
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
 
The first hard freeze of fall arrived last night. We feel it in the crisp air, but more poignantly, we see it in the garden, the tender plants have faded, their vibrant energy gone. This is the moment when you know: something has shifted. A quiet change has taken place.
 
I’ll admit, I’m not a great lover of change. I cherish the familiar. I thrive on routine and flourish with a set schedule. Surprises? Not my favorite. I am, without a doubt, a planner. Yet, as this old gardener continues down the winding path of aging, I’m learning that change is not only inevitable, but also essential. To grow, I must be willing to adapt. And by adapting, I’m discovering, is its own form of spiritual growth.
 
I’m not sure I’ve fully embraced change and uncertainty just yet. But I’m trying.
 
Writing has become one of my most faithful companions in this process. It helps me navigate the ups and downs, the trials and tribulations, with a bit more grace. Gardening does the same. Both offer me a sense of peace, a sacred rhythm, a place to reflect, a way to find balance. They remind me that this journey, with all its twists and turns, is where spirit meets strength.
 
Even after the frost, the garden whispers: there is still beauty to be found, and strength to be grown.