The garden

I once worked with a group of older people who lived in subsidized housing.  They came from so many different backgrounds.  There were a group of men who came from rural countryside and would tell stories of their multi-generational households.  They remembered growing food with their families, helping to provide but also learning valuable skills in supporting the families they would eventually build.  There were the two middle eastern women who found incredible joy preparing food from their native countries.  Recipes with the most flavorful ingredients and aromatic smells.  Ingredients that could be quite costly to purchase.  They used to grow their own food as well.  

There was a simpler time in these folks' lives but now was not it.  Now there was a focus on food affordability, finding transportation to medical appointments, making sure there was a way to keep living in an independent setting - because they were getting older.  For their current living situation, they weren’t just limited monetarily; they were also now also living in an urban environment and life looked very different.  

One day a couple of us got to thinking.  There was some unused grassy space near the apartment building.  Perhaps it could be a vegetable garden.  Logistics needed to be thought through.  If this were a garden space, how would it be watered?  Fortunately there was a nearby water spigot for a hose.  How would the thick tufts of grass be removed and the soil prepared?  A man donated his time and the equipment to prepare it.  Where would the seeds and/or plants come from?  We were able to get seeds and small plants donated.  

As we prepared the space, it was met with a lot of excitement but also negativity.  People wouldn’t really keep up with this, we were told by some.  They will commit and then forget about it because they are older or not as interested as they are letting on.  Still, we pressed on.  There was something about the joy in the voices of those that talked about their days of growing food and the impact it made on their lives.  I wanted to make that a possibility for them again.  

One day, the garden was finally ready.  The plots were divided - approximately 10 to be distributed amongst interested parties.  And they got to planting.  Yes, some of the gardeners were not interested enough or perhaps able to keep up with their plot.  In those circumstances we let others try it out.  But there was a core group of people who may as well have picked right up where they left off.  Over months we saw the growth - literally.  Tall stalks with large red, juicy tomatoes.  Long vines of cucumbers.  Bushy, large growths of mint.  Full bushes of okra, beans, and all kinds of vegetables that went right to the kitchens of these seniors living on limited incomes.  

One day, one of the middle eastern women brought me a big plate of food made with the mint from her garden. I was not supposed to accept gifts but this was a high honor in her culture.  To say ‘no’ would be quite rude.  I accepted the offer, as it was already sitting on my desk and she lived several stories above.  That was the first food I had experienced from her culture and it wasn’t just satisfying because it tasted good.  It was satisfying knowing that she could get a semblance of her old life back.  A life she thought was long gone.  The appreciation she showed was priceless.  We didn’t speak the same language but her smile said it all.  

Quality of life is so important and this group taught me that with a little help, quality of life is within our reach even if we are living with other hardships.  What a gift that was.

-Emily

#growth #lifetransitions #olderadults #empower