The Garden of a Flower

"All things beautiful. All things bright and beautiful." I delivered the line starry-eyed, going round and round in the midst of the trees, while my feet are bare.

My arms are stretched sidewards, my palms opened up like I'm embracing the sun's radiance, drenching on me. As my wavy, long, black hair followed my head's movement, my flowy, long, dark yellow-orange dress twirled, akin a ballerina's skirt.

The image of the bluish-white sky, the white clouds, the yellow-orange sun, the mahogany shade of the tree trunks with their green leaves, and the rich color of the green grass blurred in my vision. Though blurry, the scenery is still breathtaking. Nothing can ever beat the beauty of nature, because it's a masterpiece. It's timeless.

"All creatures great and small." Closing my eyes, I continued. I heard the bark of my dog, the song of the birds, the buzz of the bees, and the crunching of the fallen leaves, the swaying of the trees, and the whispers of the wind, as their sounds faded into the background, yet the hymn of nature still continues to whisper into my ears, luring me to fancy and to praise it.

While my eyes remained close, I come to a halt. Stumbling a bit, stars seem to swirl above my head. I felt a paw on my right foot, trying to save me from my fall. A whimper from my dog, Sol, followed. Regaining my composure, I smiled, amused at his cute antics.

I opened my eyes, and a hazy vision filled my sight. I blinked twice to adjust my sight from the light. I scanned my surroundings. A smile tugged on my lips, adoring the scenery. Since day one, I have been devoted to worshipping it.

I felt the wind hugging me, comforting my weary soul. Saying softly to me that, sometimes it's alright to act like a child, although you're not. There's no need to rush, because those who rush, stumble, and fall.

"All things wise and beautiful." I inhaled the air. I sighed contentedly. My heart and lungs relieved from their heaviness. Looking up the sky, "The Lord God made them all." I ended.

"Years had passed. I can still recite the first paragraph of that poem." I said to no one, reminiscing my elementary days.

"I'm good at memorizing, noh? Am I right or am I right?" I said proudly, turning to Sol, who is sitting by my side. He barked at me without a choice. I laughed silently.

I crouched to level my height similar to Sol. I noticed his wagging tail. I smiled cheekily, and I touched it, which made him walk away from me.

I laughed heartily. I stood up, and I brushed the dirt, patting my dress. I brushed my dress against each other. I clasped them together and placed them at my back while walking towards my runaway dog.

A laugh escaped my lips followed by an unladylike snort. He quickened his pace, so I quickened mine too. I chased my dog, despite my blistered feet. Under the afternoon sun, laughter and loud paces can be heard throughout the whole forest.

I touched my chest, while I'm catching my breath. Sweat trickled down my cheek from my forehead.

I placed the strand of my hair, blocking my sight, behind my ear. Sol whimpered. I gave him a weak smile to assure him. I stared at the beautiful scenery behind the tall, gold gate in front of me.

We tend to feel homesick for a place, where our heart is whole. A place, where we are healed from our wounds. A place, where we are comforted, understood and loved. A place, where our innocence is retained, and we are free without any hesitations. It can be a place, a thing, or a person. It may exist, or not, but this place is our own version of paradise, and in front of me, is my paradise.

I crouched, and I removed a necklace with a key pendant from Sol's neck. I stood up, and I inserted the key in the padlock, turning it to the right. As I pushed the gate, it creaked a sound. I stepped inside with Sol behind me.

"I went to the garden." I sang the first line. The grass tickled my feet. The grass was filled with different kinds of flowers. On the ground, small trees with flowers, and rose bushes stood. Tall, Calachuchi trees, non-bearing fruit trees, and apple shrubs stood as well. My paradise, my home, my garden of flowers.

I walked, hopping on the stepping stones, further inside my garden. "I picked some flowers beautiful." I continued singing, picking up fallen leaves along the way.

The birds on the tree twigs chirped synchronically, composing a wonderful lullaby. "And the bird sings a song to me." They welcomed me through a wonderful, soothing song.

I heard a familiar whistle. I walked a little bit further to the source of the sound. Every step, the song of the whistle gets clearer.

"One of the Beatles' songs," I whispered softly to myself. I know one person who keeps whistling one of the Beatles' songs.

"Lolo!" I called out, as a familiar figure of an old man watering the flowers, who turns out to be my grandfather, came into view. Surprised, he stopped the flow of the water from the hose, and he scanned the garden. When he saw me, recognition crossed his face.

"Fleur, hija!" I grinned at him, waving. He grinned back. His teeth missing a tooth. I laughed silently. I walked closer. When he saw me clearly, he glanced at my feet. His grin turned into a grim. I giggled. "How many times do I have to tell you th-"

"You always need to wear your slippers." I continued his sentence, mimicking his voice. "I always keep that in mind, lolo!" His grim deepened, and he looked at me incredulously.

"Slippers make me uncomfortable, but believe me, lolo, I always remember your reminders. I just don't follow them." I said, raising my right hand like I'm making an oath. He sighed.

I hugged my grandfather, and he returned back a warm embrace. He rubbed my head, destroying my hair. Although it irritated me, I didn't point it out, because it comforted me. I felt his fatherly love, which my biological father deprived of me.

"Are you tired of me, lolo? Are you tired of reminding me? Are you tired of waiting for me every summer to visit you?" I asked, muffling my words on his Hawaiian polo shirt. He faced me and flicked my forehead. I pouted. he just smiled at me. He pulled a thing behind him, then a flower crown appeared in front of me. It has an elegant design. It's beautiful.

"Do you see these flowers, Fleur?" He pointed out. I nodded. "Since the day they bloomed till they withered to their doom, they are always drenched in rain, in order for them to grow. Despite their short lives, they lived their lives to the fullest, waiting for sunny days." He placed the flower crown on my head. Something warm touched my heart.

"That flower crown is a rosemary flower crown. Rosemary means remembrance, and I want you to always remember that ever bloom, ever doom, I'm always here waiting for you, Fleur, hija." I felt tears of joy rolling down my cheeks and these tears of joy splattered on the ground; they became rain.

"And I cried silently" I sang, walking on the dead grass and withered flowers. Nimbus clouds loomed over me. Rain sprinkled, drenching me.

I carried my heavy, wet, muddy wedding gown. "A wedding..." I thought bitterly. A wedding that supposed to happen...if only the groom didn't ditch on our wedding day.

It's been years since someone loved me genuinely. Not my father, not my mother, not my supposed to be husband, and not my other relatives. If only I had a sibling or a grandmother, it could have been a little bit different. The only beings who loved me dearly were Sol and...

"For I remembered my lolo" I continued the song, changing the lyrics. Sol and my grandfather. The two important beings in my life.

They are the only ones who truly loved me, and they are in front of me, waiting for my visit while sleeping peacefully in their graves.

"Ever bloom, ever doom, I'm always here waiting for you, Fleur, hija."

I laid the rosemary flower crown, that he gave me years ago, on his grave.

"Lolo, come back to me." I ended the song. Tears of sadness rolling down on my face. How I miss my life before reality ruined everything. How I wish for sunny days. Will the sun rise again for me?

"Thank you for waiting, Sol, lolo."

-THE END-