A Restorative Tonic of Friendship and Gardens
Reflections on our travels to Germany
I have a memory.
I’m walking down a path. A cement path, a little worn and chipped. Light grey. Patchy. Lush plants growing thick on each side brush my body. I’m eye-height to shrubs, their dark and light green leaves making mottled shadows on the path.
Large pink and purple bell-shaped flowers hang in the foliage as if my Nanna had hung them there for me to enjoy.
It’s her garden. One that only exists in my memory now.
This memory resurfaced last week when we went to stay with our dear friends in Germany.
We arrived late at night—past midnight—so I hadn’t seen how lush and green the garden was until the next morning.
What a delight!
Large trees formed a canopy over us as we walked on soft moss, lush after some much rain. The dappled light, cool in the warming late summer sunshine.
The red brick used as pavers were almost the same as around some houses in Australia—a nostalgic reminder of something I didn’t know I’d missed.
Our first morning was a celebration!
We celebrated life! All of us embarking on new ventures this year. All of us, a little weary from the stressors and strains of modern life. All of us, aware that moments like these are worth celebrating.
The moon, in her quiet wisdom, looked on without judgment. Perhaps she was glad to witness this meeting of souls in a garden in a little town in northern Germany.
The garden restored me. Our friends did too. Their lovely space so generously shared was a haven for scurrying squirrels—one quite black! There were spider webs with fat-bodied spiders hanging in the middle, waiting for food. Even a white owl whooshed its way through the garden at night, crying out as it flew past.
We talked and laughed and ate. We even shared the historic moment of Germany winning the men’s basketball World Cup! There’s nothing quite like sharing the joy of a wonderful win with passionate people. It’s uplifting!
I’m still basking in the flow of that lovely space.
I have a renewed energy. Perhaps I needed the week of summer after so many months of quite average weather. Perhaps I needed a holiday after working all summer long. Their garden and friendship were the perfect tonic.
Friendships that last decades are precious. Even with technology, it’s not so easy to keep in touch with people—it’s time zones and busyness and competing demands.
Grasp those friendships with your heart and hands. Sit in lush green gardens, chatting about life and the universe. Share nourishing food. And laugh. Laugh and smile. Watch the leaves in the breeze, the squirrels in the trees, and the spiders repair their webs.
My Nanna would have loved it. I’m sure she was there in spirit.
Stay Well,
Lisa x
Other Things:
I’ve been busy creating! My business has been softly launched ~ via a little booklet I’ve written & produced called The Art of Being Here. It will be the first of many as I embark on my entrepreneurial journey. My website, complete with an online community, online courses, a regular newsletter, and workshops, is all in one place thanks to the amazing platform that’s Podia.
I had a list of all the things I wanted in a platform and spent time looking for the right place to land. I wanted to have everything in one place rather than a collection of different platforms and Podia delivers. *Insert a very happy smiling Lisa face!*
I’ve joined a wonderful circle! Ianthe Mauro is a wonderful woman I connected with instantly when we first ‘met’ in a group about 5 months ago. She’s an entrepreneur-turned-fairy-godmother to people who have product small businesses. I sat in a Zoom call with the other members yesterday and it was warm, authentic, and restorative - also very exciting. Hooray for finding like-minded Queens 👑!
I loved Nanas garden! Those ferns and I think a water feature down the side? It seemed so green and lush when we would arrive from South Australia. Like a fairy garden ❤️
Congratulations on the launch of your business! Loved this post - how you slowed down to enjoy the moments with friends and nature ♥️