Laughter was contagious on Tuesday, June 9, as a small group of Residents gathered outside to enjoy some gardening fun. The beautiful sunshine brought new life to all of us who are still winter weary and automatically transformed us into smiling beacons of joy. This perfect day inspired us to transform two bare, raised flower beds into masterpieces filled with new colorful life. Each delicate plant was tenderly planted, perfectly spaced and lovingly watered. By the end of the day, gorgeous arrangements of colorful flowers burst from the beds. Framing the entryway from the Northwest parking lot, the cheerful flower beds are a perfect welcome.
Our Garden Angels from St. Thomas of Villanova Parish in Palatine have returned again this year, to help care for our rose gardens and flowers. Beginning in 2011 as a service project in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of St. Thomas of Villanova Parish, the entusiastic gardeners have returned each summer since. On any given weekend, you can find the joyful laughter of the young and young at heart parishioners, working hard to keep our landscape beautiful.
We like to think that our flowers are the adoring gift of “God’s Laughter,” which is truly contagious. This can be seen on the smiling faces of our Residents as they return from a stroll outdoors, or as a grinning visitor or volunteer enter our Home, or on the beaming face of Little Sister as she steps outside to pray.
The Earth laughs in flowers. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson