Shedding layers - The vines

On gardening
15 years of vines
Many years of trying to manage them but not quite
Never really managing them because they grew so fast and she gave up
She went out to cut
Just a few
There were layers of life and death
Mold, decay, and ugly
Layers of dead branches
Some branches so thick
15 years of layers
The patio with pristine flowers, succulents, sunflowers and tomatos
The ones that she "posted" for all to admire
Hiding the ugly dead constricting vines that took over all the things
The innards gnarly and neglected and shamed
No more hiding, no more shame, the truth
She went out to cut
Layers and layers
"I will just start with a few"
There were even more layers
She cried "I can’t do this alone"
Decay, mold, hardened branches
Overgrowth and neglect not leaving space for the new vines to grow
The cutting and chopping began
She was not strong enough to wield a hedger
It was going to have to be - one vine and branch at a time
As much strength as she had
Every little chop would matter if she did the work, if she was brave
She used a small and broken hand cutter that occasionally pinched her hand, she broke a purple polished manicured fingernail
She grew strong pulling out the vines and cutting through layers
There was power in pulling the vines, it kept coming out from deep in the trees and dead branches
It was relief, but was it?
She opened her eyes and saw the progress in a short time
She sighed with relief
She now knew it would not take 15 years to remove all the layers
She could find beauty in the work and accept the bits of progress
Wipe her tears, clean up the pile, accept what is
She could anticipate the space she was making for new life and love
The ruins could be uncovered and growth and beauty could happen
She knew there would come a day when the cutting stopped
There would be room for the flowering vines to roam and bloom