Kind thoughts are roots,
Kind words are flowers,
Kind deeds are fruits."
~English Proverb~
It's the eve of Veteran's Day and Mr. Edward's garden is full of falling leaves. A living testament to a fallen hero.
All Hallow's Eve has come and gone. The crepe myrtle sparkles in her orange hues, and the wise old oak tree is full of mistletoe. The Bird Tree's oversized leaves have turned a shade of parchment and are strewn across the yard. A small, fuschia colored rosebud clings to the Fairy Rose bush.
The first flower on the pink Camellia bush is already popping open. Next will be the familiar red, then the light pink, and finally the white Camellias will come alive. And soon the gardenias will add their familiar fragrance to this annual homecoming.
To everything there is a season, and Mr. Edward's life season came to an end this past Sunday morning. He gave over twenty years of his 89 years in life to military service for his country. And now, on Veteran's Day, he will be laid to rest.
Seven tall pine trees stand like sentinels, ready to guard Mr. Edward's garden. The buckthorn keeps watch along the fringes, and the wisteria climbs over the wooden fence and clings to safety. The whitewashed brick wall is adorned with a new sprig of green ivy. A few hickory nuts fall over the fence and are quickly stashed away, along with the hundreds of acorns, by Zig Zag the squirrel and her family.
Nine Rose of Sharon bushes have begun to shed their golden leaves, and the sole surviving bulb of his beloved Canna lilies is in full red-bloomed splendor.
His beautiful garden, so lovingly attended to during his tenure here on Earth, is now in the waning times of Autumn, readying itself for Winter.
To sleep, perchance to dream. And to wait for the daffodils that will come again.
God bless you, Mr. Edward. I shall light a candle for you, and miss your kind and gentle soul.
1st Sgt. Edward Woodrow Tillery, U.S. Army (Ret)
Veteran of WWII and Korean War
1920 - 2009
Rest In Peace
