Paradise Lost

It was gone. That beautiful garden, the one with the flagstone paths and a bird bath or two, pretty flowers, and tall shade trees-gone forever. I had walked by that garden nearly every day for years, admiring all the work that had gone into creating it. It had taken many years of hard work for someone to transform that narrow city lot into a welcoming oasis, yet only one afternoon to erase it forever. Today nothing remained except bare earth and a few scattered branches, which I'm sure will be tossed to the curb for garbage collection later this week.

I'm not sure what happened to the woman who I would see sometimes tending the garden. We didn't say very much to each other, just a wave and an occasional "hello", but not much more than that. Then about a year ago, I noticed a "for rent" sign in front of her home and I don't recall ever seeing her again. She just suddenly disappeared, I've often wondered what became of her.

This past spring I noticed a "lot for sale" sign had been posted in the garden. And though the property is rather narrow, someone bought it and I'm sure by summer's end there will be a new home occupying the site. I hope all the birds who also called this little piece of the earth "home" safely escaped the jaws of the heavy machinery which uprooted their lives last weekend.

I'm sure the new house will be nice, and the city will be grateful since they will be able to collect more taxes on the "improved" property, but I am really going to miss that garden. Not as much as all the birds and butterflies who lived in and frequented the area, to be sure.

I just hope they find their way to my little "butterfly and bird buffet", still a work in progress. I've planted some of the same types of flowers in my own garden, hoping to attract their attention. Maybe some will choose to make their new home here, and that is fine with me. After all, it belongs to them,too. And I can't think of a better way to "improve" my property than to share it with God's creatures.