Garden

When in these fresh mornings I go into my garden before anyone is awake, I go for the time being into perfect happiness. In this hour divinely fresh and still, the fair face of every flower salutes me with a silent joy. . . . All the cares, perplexities, and griefs of existence, all the burdens of life slip from my shoulders and leave me with the heart of a little child that asks nothing beyond the present moment of innocent bliss.

These myriad beaming faces turned to mine seem to look at me with blessing eyes. I feel the personality of each flower, and I find myself greeting them as if they were human. "Good morning, beloved friends! Are all things well with you? And are you tranquil and bright? And are you happy and beautiful?" They stand in their peace and purity and lift themselves to my adoring gaze as if they knew my worship - so calm, so sweet, so delicately radiant, I lose myself in the tranquility of their happiness.

~ Celia Thaxter