As I sit down here in front of my computer I don't even know where to begin with today's post. It has been an important day for us - one that seems to require thoughtful reflection...

Today my Mom's funeral service was held in South Africa. We were unfortunately unable to attend and I had to think of a way to mark this momentous occasion in a meaningful way.

My mother has always loved gardening and has always found great pleasure in hearing about Rowan's gardening attempts so we thought of planting a beautiful tree in her honour.

Richard, Rowan and I hopped in the car this morning to collect the tree that we chose over the weekend. Because of the size of the tree we had to take the slower back road to get home. We didn't mind at all. It was a country road that we have never traveled on before and there were interesting and beautiful scenes around every corner. Rowan even turned off his DVD player to take it all in.

Planting the tree marked the end of my own personal memorial service to my mother and so we took great care in honouring the moment and the occasion. We worked together as a team and soon we had a magnificent Scarlet Oak adorning our garden.

It stands in a prominent position - right next to Rowan's sandbox and our outdoor living area. We can see it from all of our indoor living areas too.

It felt so good to plant a tree. As Gran and I stood watering the tree I felt a sense of satisfaction with how our dedication seemed to capture the spirit of the day. I felt quite emotional at this point until, again, a beautifully striking black and white butterfly appeared right in front of us. It circled the tree a couple of times and fluttered about and over Rowan's sand box before it swooped off again completely out of sight.

I am in awe of the beauty and complexity of this world and the lives we live upon it. What a day! What a month! What a lifetime!

Thank you.

Print this post