101 things that changed my life. 5/101 :: Growing peas in the garden

Until I got to university my father didn’t talk all that much to me. He tried, but I guess we were both kinda scared of each other. I don’t know how to explain it.

I can say that I loved my dad incredibly much.

One of the things we did together was a bit of gardening. My father would grow potatoes, tomatoes, parsley, beans, etc. I liked fresh peas, so I grew peas. My father mostly took care of the beans and the potatoes. We harvested together quite often. He managed to grow really good vegetables. We had enough vegetables for the summer. The beans would last us well into winter.

It’s odd, because I didn’t see my father as a gardener back then, but it was certainly part of his life and of mine. I wouldn’t call myself much of a gardener either, but I guess that if pressed I know how to raise a few crops of several vegetables. I used to enjoy it, I don’t anymore. There’s not much I enjoy anymore since my father passed away.

I love the taste of fresh peas. Even the smell of them. The ones you can buy at the supermarket don’t smell as intensely as those from our garden, but I still like the smell them.

What did it taught me? That taking care of something pays off.

Unfortunately in life that is not always true. Especially not with people. The more attention you give to your garden the bigger your harvest, but with people it’s different. Sometimes it seems as though the more you give attention to people the less they appreciate you…