Weeding out the Bad

Weeding out the Bad

Ever since I was a young little girl I would always love to watch and help my mother in her garden. Her garden was the most beautiful and magical garden that you have ever seen. People would always stop her while she’s outside and say

“I love the pink and red roses”, “You are doing such a beautiful job,

 I get soo excited knowing that I will pass your house every day after I get off work”

We never realized just how much comfort it brings to others seeing your work come alive until one day… I was just sitting on the porch laughing at the many jokes that me and mama shared when this young lady who had to be in her early 20s (we’re around the same age) stop us and simply said “cherish that moment”. Mama and I looked at each other and nodded instantly. Mama then invited the young lady for some tea and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies (my favorite). We all kinda sat and talked for hours and hours; you would think that we’ve known each other for years.

Finally the young lady, whose is Allisa mentioned about her mother and how she still feel like a part of her is missing. 

I gently touched her hand to give her comfort, Allisa immediately started to cry… Like sob! Very heavy deep weighing tears! It was almost like she’s been holding it in for soo long that when I touched her, it was her was of releasing everything she was holding on to. Between sobs she began telling us the story about her mom. She started off stating that her mom was killed in a home invasion. At the time, she mentioned that she still lived with my mom, however at the time of the incident she had gone over to spend the night at her best friend Crista-Mae’s house. She lives like right down the street, so I’m always over there hanging out with them which they’re like my second family. I heard the news on the TV just flipping through trying to find something good on TV when I notice that our house was on the news. My mother was sitting in the living room when they kicked in her door shooting up everything and everyone in sight, thinking they was shooting the person they was looking for… Only to find out that they had killed my mother… They were at the wrong house!!

There was soo much hurt, frustration, anger in not having my mother here… But also to know that it could been prevented because they had the wrong house…. I stayed with Crista-Mae for months. That was probably one of, if not the hardest moments of my life. Hearing that your mother, the last of your own flesh and blood was gone in an instance… And there was nothing you could do!

5 years later, Crista-Mae and her family ended up moving away, her dad got a really good job offer in Washington D.C. Of course before they left made sure I was set and good; gave me money and made sure I had a place to stay(they didn’t want to, but was ultimately doing what was best for the family). It was tough on us all especially…me and Crista-Mae. We kept in contact for the most part… I never wanted to be a burden to them; whatever you had to do to make sure that your family was good, do it!

I used to feel neglected, until I realized as I got older I realized that they wasn’t leaving me, they was protecting me so that I would depend on myself versus the people that I dealt with.   

What use to really get me was that the police was telling me that she was pleading the men to stop, initiating that she would help in whatever way she can. It wasn’t until she was lying in a pool of blood that they notice the face wasn’t the same match. The person that they was “after” had the same features, pretty much the same build as my mom. Unfortunately, the lady had a warrant out for her arrest for numerous killings, stealing, robberies etc… Needless to say, there was “word on the street” about this woman and someone decided to call a “hit man” to “end it.”

To know that these “people” kept going until their “job” was done was very unsettling for me for many many years. They took something soo precious to me that I couldn’t get back. They took something from me that can never ever be replaced!

*Allisa pauses and starts to cry again… Heavy crying…*

My mother being the kind warm passionate woman that she is goes over to give her the tightest loving bear hug that you could ever imagine. You could see that pain fall from her face, fall from her shoulders and she just s get lost in the wind. The both of them just stood there hugging like they are being reconnected at the soul, like this particular hug was a missing piece.

Allisa then started talking about the power of gardening and how she came into contact with it.

Allisa: Gardening for me became my “therapy.” When I felt that there was no one there, no one to talk to or who could really understand my hurt, I decided to really get into gardening and growing something soo magical. I feel as though being in the garden is a way of releasing all the hurt, the anger, the confusion that I was dealing with over the years. Not sure of where to turn to. Planting flowers and seeing them grow into something bigger than I can even imagine. It was definitely a bittersweet part of my grief. Not saying that want to forget her, but more so become just remember all the wonderful memories we shared together. I wanted her to experience this moment with me, but it’s like I can feel her when the wind blow, or when the trees move back and forth like their singing a song written just for me.

Mom: So maybe there’s a reason we were brought together… To bring some closure, but also to create something that was much bigger than you could even imagine. I’ll be sure to watch over you as you are my own (embraces her in another one of her bear hugs)

Arial: I always wanted a sister, someone to share secrets with, or just get advice from.

Allisa eventually helped who she calls her “Bonus mom” and I really get into gardening more. She shared with them more about her childhood; (of what she can remember.)

So as you can see it’s just 3 ladies reconnecting and reevaluating the growth and changes of life, and how you never know who you could be a blessing to along the way. My dad passed away from a heart attack and I unfortunately learned that Allisa’s dad did to. The more we talk, the more similarities we share; it’s like we was my long lost sisters waiting to share memories of life together.

We also started a “Weeding out the Bad” garden club around the world for anyone who last dealt with loosing someone, someone near and dear to the heart and not sure where to go or who to turn to, or maybe you just need a bit of a release. We started it in our local park, so that anyone and everyone could see and participate in it. We was getting so much response from that the 3 of us decided to take it globally around world;

Bringing more and more families together. More stories to be told, more memoires to create.

Oh I guess you’re wondering about Allisa and Crista-Mae?! Well we meet up during one of the many locations of “Weeding out the Bad” in you guess it Washington D.C. We didn’t plan to meet up, we just kinda ran into each other… Literally and the rest is history.

Weeding out the Bad, so that we can bring in the good.