I sought the trees of yesteryear, those ancient sentinels that once bore the weight of my dreams. But there, where their roots should have dug deep, I found only desolation—a barren field stretching to the horizon. The bluebirds, once melodious messengers, now sang mournful tunes, their notes lost in the emptiness.

Perhaps the seasons had been unkind, or perhaps my own neglect had withered their boughs. I dipped my hands into the well of memories, hoping to revive their thirst, but the water had long evaporated, leaving only echoes.

Yet hope, like a stubborn seed, nestled within me. I turned away from the past, carrying new life in my cupped palms. Seeds of resilience, of possibility. The soil of today awaited my touch, its hunger palpable. I knelt, fingers sinking into the earth, and planted my hopes, my aspirations.

And then I waited.

The days blurred, the sun tracing its arc across the sky. I watched for signs—the first tender shoots, the unfurling leaves. Spring tiptoed in, shy and uncertain, but it carried promises. Rain tapped on my window, a gentle rhythm of encouragement. The bluebirds returned, their songs tentative at first, then exuberant.

And there it was—the miracle of renewal. Tiny green spears pushed through the soil, reaching for the sun. Leaves unfurled, veins pulsing with life. The backyard transformed—a canvas painted in hues of green and gold. Blossoms danced, petals kissed by the breeze.

And so, I did. With hands that remembered both loss and possibility, I tended to my backyard, knowing that within its soil lay the essence of resilience. For spring had come, not just for the earth, but for my spirit—to bloom, to thrive, to weave new stories among the leaves.

May your backyard flourish, dear dreamer, and may your heart find solace in the seasons yet to come. 🌸

© Beatriz Esmer