By D.W.
GreenHouse17

My experience in the garden was very peaceful, relaxing and joyful. The garden is a wonderful place to be, to look around you see only open fields with flowers, fresh veggies, and rows of corn. There are plenty of insects, butterflies, dragonflies, hummingbirds, and a gated community for three beautiful horses.

When I was in the garden it was a great escape from my worries. How could I feel stress when I was standing in what is considered to be a healing garden?

To just look around, you see what peace is. Open blue sky, tall flowers that sway with the wind, the only thing you will hear is the bees buzzing, hummingbirds zooming by and once in a blue moon a horse clearing its sinuses. It was a great experience for me to listen to my gospel music as I weeded the rows of beautiful flowers. I picked only the ripest tomatoes, and harvested the biggest yellowest squash.

I feel everyone should be able to see this wonderful healing garden. I was blessed to be able to take part in a wonderful creation.

This post is part of our Field Notes series written by survivors of intimate partner abuse at GreenHouse17. The image featured in this post is of the chalkboard in our shelter’s kitchen.