The Angel card I picked out of the pile was ‘surrender’. It was the mantra given to me as to how to enjoy our trip east to visit family with my grief, my health and my fear of flying. I had not been back in nine years, and I had a bucket list of what I wanted to do and who I wanted to see. I held onto the word surrender for strength the whole week and through that experienced a beautiful collection of moments that I will cherish for always. One of them was Eileen.

We were invited to her backyard for an afternoon of cocktails and a dip in the pool. Pulling up to her home, we found her outside in her front garden. I was introduced to her, and the group walked to the back to settle in.  As we came around the house, in front of us lay these vast grounds, filled with flowers, trees, shrubs and a winding path taking you deep into the back where a conversational seating nestled under a shady tree. There was something about this space; it took your breath away. I was drawn into its energy. I asked Eileen if she could tour me through this quiet haven, so arm in arm, we left the group to venture into her garden.

Her yard is filled with ornaments and gorgeous blooming plants, each with a story behind it. Some represented a loved one who had passed, some represented childhood favorites or symbolized wishes. Her yard is a collection of sixty years of honoring, remembering and celebrating those who she has travelled the path of life with.

We rested at the table under the tree. Her son brought us a cold drink. As he left, she turned to me and said, “this is the place my husband and I would have our afternoon drink”. It all made sense. This was her space to connect to the spiritual energy of those she loves. And the energy was thick. It was a peaceful pull at the heart, a frozen moment in time where souls shared stories of love and of loss.  We were not alone. I could feel those we spoke of, laugh with us.

In grief, we talk about planting a tree in remembrance as one way to honor our loved one. That afternoon I experienced a yard full of such honor. Her ability to take each life experience and cultivate a space that holds the love and the memories of such is a tribute to the character of her heart.

As I took one last walk before we left that day, snapping pictures of each story, I was filled with inspiration. Eileen’s garden is a lesson in how we can take grief and turn it into something full of life, connection, and healing. Her yard is a testament to love never dies.