My Happy Place in a Garden: Where Eggplant, Sponge gourd and String Beans and Peace Grow Together

Hello everyone, When I started gardening. It wasn’t for fun or therapy at first) though now it totally is!). My first goal was simple: to save money. I wanted to grow food at home so we didn’t have to buy from the market anymore. Prices these days? Whew! So high.

So, I started planting Sponge gourd, eggplant and String beans on a small strip of land beside the rice field. Every time it rains and it rains a lot, the grass grows like it’s in a race. Sometimes I feel like I’m growing weeds more than vegetables!
My garden is simple, not totally Instagrammable. My fence is half done, but you know what? I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Because I know between the mess, I find peace. This garden is my therapy, savings and exercise all in one. Sometimes I’m pulling weeds or carrying a bucket of water under the sun.

And the silence here in my simple garden is priceless, no calls, no emails no “urgent” reports not like before when I’m on working at corporate world. Now, just my plants and the occasional bird judging me from the treetops.

One of the most unexpected blessings of gardening is to share. When I have extra vegetables, I give some to my neighbors. Sometimes my In-laws they are the one harvesting. Seeing them happy with fresh vegetables makes my heart full. It feels like I’m giving love in edible form with no preservatives needed! I’m blessed that I can share this specially to my mother-in-law because she is high blood and has diabetic problem. My vegetables are purely organic no chemicals.

B

ut hey. I’ve got dreams too! I plan to grow more so I can start selling veggies, especially to my child’s school. Right now, they buy from the talipapa and the prices are not exactly budget friendly. Imagine if I could provide fresh, homegrown veggies for them? That would be amazing. Not just extra income, but also a way to support a healthy lifestyle in the community.

If there’s one veggie I want to plant more – it’s eggplant. It keeps on giving more harvest, doesn’t die easily and taste great whether fried, grilled, torta and many more. Plus, it lasts for months or year before the plant gives up.

Honesty? There’s something deeply satisfying about harvesting your own vegetables. It’s like saying, “I grew this with my two hands and it’s going into tonight sinigang, A very fulfilling.

Since I started gardening. I’ve realized it’s not just about growing food. It’s about growing patience, learning and appreciating nature. Plants teach us to wait, to nurture and to adapt. If they can survive a few days without sun or a week of heavy rain.

There are days I skip weeding, watering. And yes, sometimes I’m tired. But then I look at the green leaves, the small fruits peeking through and I remember why. This is my space. My healing, My version of self-care.

I’m a busy mom who tries to plant twice a month, or weeks, whenever I’m not chasing after my kid or folding laundry. But I keep going, little by little. Because this garden of mine, It’s not just about food. It’s about growth and learning here that doesn’t need to be perfect to be beautiful.

Sometimes, people say I look haggard because I’m staying here at farm. They comment on my dark skin or make fun of how I look. But honestly, I don’t mind. I’m proud of what I do and the life I been chosen. At the end of the day, it’s not about how I look- Its about how I feel and I feel free.
So, if you’re feeling tired stuck or just looking for a reason to smile, go outside, gets your hands dirty and plant something. You might just discover your own little happiness.

This is my own captured photo, edited in Canva. Thank you for supporting and reading my story. God bless us all.