Feb 1, 2013

Gardening

When you're getting a divorce after being married a very long time, all your memories, even the really good ones feel like walking through a cactus patch.  Though some have flowers and look beautiful, you don't examine them up close and breath in the sweet smell like you would with lilacs.  Some of them may even be nourishing, but most days it's safer to keep a distance lest you end up sitting on the floor trying to extract nettles from your skin and move on with the day.  It causes me to very carefully walk my path in life, never veering too deep into the thicket, never watching certain movies, or reading certain books, tossing out a whole decade of music and avoiding whole regions of my brain, only peering in slightly when the children ask.  It's a delicate and absurd dance living in a cactus patch.  It's why I returned to the lush grass lands of Illinois where the oaks have deep roots and the rich black dirt will nourish just about any seed you can plant.  I think eventually I'll have enough new growth to roll among the violets and keep my cacti in bell jars next to the pressed funeral flowers and childhood rock collection.

9 comments:

ludakristen said...

Beautiful imagery. Perfect analogy. I love how it's very short - one long paragraph, really - but packs such a strong punch. It's like getting jabbed in the ribs with words, and I mean that in a good way.

Lydia said...

I love the way you've written this. Excellent imagery and emotion.

Monnik said...

Oh, there is so much feeling in this. Perfect analogy to show such a difficult time.

"Tossing out a whole decade of music..."

Ouch. I'm sorry you are having to do this.

Beautiful.

Melanie said...

I had to catch my breath when I read this. When I think about what it would be like to get a divorce, this - having to avoid certain songs and movies, and never mind the pictures (who gets the wedding album?) - this is exactly what I imagine.

I'll echo the others that the cactus/garden analogy is perfect. Thank you for sharing this.

Lindsay said...

I so enjoyed this.

Unknown said...

Jenny, like you I am going through a painful divorce, and of course living here in Arizona the cactus patches are even more real. I have given thought to moving back to Illinois as well, as all of my family are there, but I am becoming adept at removing the cactus needles as I move through the cactus patch of memories. I have put down my roots in the desert Southwest and like the cactus that grow here I am learning to survive in the harsh environment of the desert I call my divorce. It is not an easy life but I know I will survive. I feel your pain along with my own, and I wish you peace and a hope for new love as you return to live in the Midwest once again.

arizona said...

Jenny,like you I am going through a painful divorce, and living here in Arizona the cactus patch of memories is even more real. I have given thought to moving back to Rockford as well, as all of my family live back there. But I have put my roots down here in the desert Southwest after living here for 12 years, and I have become adept at removing the cactus nettles as I move through my cactus patch of memories. Like you, I have learned to move carefully through the harsh environment in the desert of my divorce, tossing things away except for my own self respect and surviving a day at a time. I feel your pain, just as I feel my own and I wish you peace and the hope for love as you return to the Midwest to plant your new garden.

Jenny said...

Thanks everyone. I'm struggling what how much I want to share about this bit of life and it turns out not very much. I don't even want to share it with myself yet.

I appreciate the time you took to read it and comment.

AZ, Thank you, I wish you peace too.

Anonymous said...

Beautifully written Jenny. Looking forward to catching up when we make it over there. Whenever that may be. Teresa is here for two weeks. Well primarily for next Thursday when Alex turns nine. Take care, Olivia