Garden Grace

I have been enjoying gardening for the last several years. It started with buckets on patio porches and has now grown into flowerbeds and raised beds. Living in South Carolina, I’m fortunate to have several zones’ worth of growing time, which means my growing season is longer than average. Of course, that also means I deal with just as many unpredictable moments. Long bouts of rain or intense heat can wipe out my hard work in a heartbeat. A swarm of pests in a small area can turn a healthy crop into compost overnight. So many things can go wrong, which is why it’s been such a welcome relief to finally experience a season where things are going… pretty well.

One of the most rewarding things about this garden is the time it gives me with my boys. We’re outside together, doing more than just playing or running around. We’re getting our hands dirty, working side by side. It gives them a chance to see where food really comes from, to understand that their favorite snacks take time and effort to grow. Not everything in life comes easily.

My wife also gets to enjoy the beauty of the flowers I’ve planted, many of which help pollinate the garden. It’s become something meaningful we can all share. Sometimes, it’s simply about stepping outside, turning off the noise of the day, and enjoying a quiet moment in the sun together.

Growing plants and food has opened up so many opportunities for my boys to ask big questions about how the world works. When they’re in the garden with me, I try my best to answer them honestly and completely. I also make it a point to tell them when I don’t know something, and show them how we might find the answer. I hope it sparks their curiosity. I want them to grow up believing that not knowing isn’t a weakness—it’s an invitation to learn more.

One of the most satisfying parts of gardening has been finding practical ways to use what we grow. Being able to improve our meals without another trip to the store has been a real benefit. My kids may have picky palates, but just grabbing a pan and tossing in a few fresh ingredients from the garden has brought something new to our table. I’ve made hot sauce, dried herbs, and even preserved enough seeds to plant next year. The cost of starting the garden is small compared to what I gain—both emotionally and in what we harvest.

As a mostly stay-at-home dad, it can sometimes be hard to find moments that feel like they’re just mine. My present and future are wrapped up in raising these boys I love, and while I wouldn’t trade that, this garden has given me something more. It gives shape to my days, reminds me I’m more than just a caretaker, and gives me a way to invest in something outside the routine. In tending to the garden, I’m also tending to myself. And that helps me show up as a better parent, partner, and person.

It’s a labor of love, and a love of labor. Something grounding. Something whole. Something I never expected to mean so much.

One labor of love at a time,

K