Lydia Martinez
Schmahl Science Workshops Victory Garden
Summer 2013
It is not uncommon to sit and a have conversation with someone about hopes and dreams and as opposed to talking about all the ways to accomplish them the conversation will be more of a detailed explanation as to why it cannot be doing; a litany of excuses forecasting failure or struggle, all without even taking the first step of exploration.
At the Schmahl Science Workshops Victory Garden and Children’s Demonstration garden there are a variety of stories. All of the families and children have their own unique struggle and talents. Some are healthy others are seeking to heal the body by going back to their traditional foods. Others are reinforcing a balance and respect for nature to their children and grandchildren.
Two of my ladies from the family garden this year went through some intense medical procedures, thus limiting their ability to be in the garden. One had a kidney transplant and the other had to have reconstructive surgery in her muscle and tendons from her arm due to a work injury. Both I would say are health conscious and they participate in the garden to take advantage of the space provided to them there for themselves, and their most importantly their children and grandchildren.
Well despite having some health issues that limited the manner in which they could be in the garden these ladies still made it a point to be present in their garden. They had every reason to not have to be in the garden but they found a way. One of them was on restriction from sun and dirt exposure due to her kidney transplant. But her and her husband would walk to the garden and she would sit with parasol in hand at the edge of her garden bed while her husband worked and tended to both the garden bed and her. Her husband is now the injured one and so now she is the nurturer. To be able to witness this type of love and nurturance was a blessing.
My other lady suffered from a cut to her arm while on the job thus resulting in muscle tissue and tendon damage, leaving her with limited mobility and usage of one of her arms. Despite the pain and limited mobility of her arm this woman brings her children and together they plant, transplant, water, grow such beauty in their garden beds. To see her beds and her produce one would not believe that she’s been working them with one arm for majority of the year. At the writing of this piece she has finally had her reconstructive surgery and is in the middle of the healing process.
Tenacity, strength, perseverance, determination and not believing in excuses are some of the qualities that these two women have. Despite the ability to be able to hold off on gardening they continue to choose not to, no excuses around here. For them it is more important to continue doing the work in the garden, tough times come and go some say but the lessons you leave your children and your grandchildren will last for many generations to come.