I thought I'd put down a few words about my new header. I've received some nice compliments on it. Thank you all very much. I love this bench. I imagine I'm not alone; I'm sure many people from my city love it too!
Eleven years ago, when I was pregnant with my first child, I had intense morning sickness. It lasted 24 hours a day for months. I became very weak and discouraged. It just when on and on and on.
It was winter. My husband and I lived in a basement apartment. I loved to read before I became pregnant, but to my horror I found that reading made the nausea worse. I spent most of my time dozing on a hand-me-down, hide-a-bed couch in a dim, musty room.
One day I became fixated on an idea: I had to get to the conservatory in our city. I had to breath in the fragrant air! I had to be near green growing things!
I mentioned the idea to my husband one night. He was working long hours during that time. The conservatory was about an hour drive into the city. He promised to take me on the weekend. I counted the days.
I remember the feeling when I walked into that spacious place, teeming with life and light! The air was warm, clean, and sweet. I think I had convinced myself that if I could just get there, my morning sickness would disappear -- and of course it didn't. But being there still did me a world of good! I walked slowly back to a quiet corner where I found the bench. I sat down alone. Before long, I was curled into the fetal position -- fast asleep.
I don't know if anyone walked past me while I slept there. When my husband approached me, I woke up. We meandered around the conservatory for a while. I didn't want to leave. As we stepped out into the frozen street, the contrast felt brutal. I vomited in the parking lot.
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| "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures." Psalm 23:2 |
My husband and I recently took our fourth son to the conservatory for a special event. I sought out my bench and took a couple pictures.
Do you have a special place that has provided you with comfort and rest during a difficult time?
Other pregnant women crave ice cream and pickles (or so says the cliche); you crave the conservatory! That's a great story, and the picture is so lovely. It's as if the plants are generously and kindly granting space to humans they know will appreciate them.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jeannie! But don't be mistaken: Once the morning sickness passed, I was ALL about pickles and ice cream!!! ;)
DeleteThis is such a sweet story. I love how your stories and photos are so personal.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much, Christine. :)
DeleteI feel like I'll never have a quiet place in nature to rest so long as I live in this brown, barren, scorching desert where NOTHING green grows. It makes me so sad. I long for places like these that you talk about.
ReplyDeleteI've only seen deserts in movies, Ruth. Were you raised there or transplanted?
DeleteI'm am originally from New York, and I live in the Mojave Desert now. My back yard is brown. I want a yard like Claude Monet; then I can have peace, even with five kids running around.
DeleteBless your heart, Ruth. I think I would feel the same! I'll pray that you'll be blessed with your heart's desire!
DeleteThanks for sharing that. It awakened sooooo many memories for me. I was brought up in Wales, UK and there were a few benches like that scattered across the coastline where we would take refuge. After long walks, bike rides, runs. Or just to leave the world behind.Calm spots overlooking fields, mountains and the sea. I can almost smell the sea air...! Haven't found my refuge here in Strasbourg yet. But thanks for the memory! :0)
ReplyDeleteBe still my beating heart! That sounds . . . heavenly! Thank you for sharing. I plan to visit the UK someday with a bunch of my blog friends when we finish this VERY long list of classics we are reading through together. Now I know I MUST make a point of finding just such a spot as you describe!
DeleteAdriana,
ReplyDeleteI remember 'meeting' you for the first time when you were going through those hard days. I'm so glad to hear more of your story about that time and how the bench -- a very nice bench -- provided that oasis of comfort and quietness for you.
Right now my own wee backyard is a place of refuge and restoration of 'weathered soul feathers'. The hawthorne and lilacs are in full bloom causing the air to be filled with sweet fragrance. And, we have several pairs of now-nesting birds so we delight to listen to their sweet whistles and songs. Ahhhhh....bliss!
Brenda dear! I will always remember how you emailed me out of the blue -- just to check in and see how I was doing! It was a couple months after I disappeared from the blogosphere. I was pregnant then with little #5! :) What an encouragement that message from you was!
DeleteI am absolutely crazy for lilacs! "Bliss" is the word! And I love listening to birds too -- especially early in the morning. I can just imagine how lovely your backyard is!
Ohh, how wonderful, my friend! I love treasured snippets like this that help us through our painful, dark times. This weekend was one of those moments. I've been so sick for so long but this weekend I got to go camping with my Bear and dear friends and it was absolutely wonderful. Yes, I got very sick near the end, but it was worth it. So worth it. :-)
ReplyDeleteKrista!
DeleteWhen I think of you being sick for a long time, it makes me want to cry! I wish there was a way I could help you. I've noticed on your blog that you have mentioned not being well a few times, but I had no idea that it was one long continuous illness!
I'm SO glad you had a wonderful weekend with your dear Bear. It's comforting to know that he takes such good care of you. I can see the love he has for you all over his face in every picture!
Much Love,
Adriana
P.S. I just lit my "Loving Prayers" candle for you. I'm sending a picture of it your way via Facebook.
I'm a little late to the party here! Thanks for sharing the story of your special bench. I love sitting beside streams of rushing, gurgling water, writing in my journal or just being still. I live in Tucson now, but this is still possible at certain times of year. If we get our summer monsoon rains, there will once again be water flowing through nearby Sabino Canyon - and I will love it!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you left a comment, Sandy! I love to sit near water. It's so peaceful, isn't it?
DeleteI hope your monsoon rains refresh your soul! Blessings! ♥