Addiction Recovery Story #24, Gladiola: Farewell to Shame

I’m lightening my footprint here on Earth, not just by skirting sugar but also by letting go of past mistakes that weigh down my heart and soul. This is #24 in my flower-titled story series about sugar/overeating addiction started January 31, 2121.

Dan bought a pack of Gladiolus bulbs last week at Home Depot. I can’t wait for them to bloom. But first we have to clear a patch in the soil, plant them, have faith and be patient. Link here.

To be honest, I have consciously avoided the Gladiola for our garden. Tall and topped with multiple ruffled blooms, it reminds me of death.

I’m not sure why, other than that it is unusual to my eye, and I have mainly seen it in arrangements at funeral homes. It’s that unforgettable line of fluttering white handkerchiefs on a living stalk, a flurry of mournful lavender letters. A scary farewell from us all to those traveling Beyond.

But Dan slipped some Gladiola bulbs into the back garden last year, and in spite of myself, I liked the blooms. They were bright and true. The songbirds seemed to gather round, too.

Now Dan came back from Home Depot with a whole package of them, and I look forward to viewing a previous death knell as a sign of beauty and growth.

Part of my recovery on this formerly sugar-paved road involves letting go of shame, with guidance from my angel in the recovery program.

Shame is that dark, sea-witch feeling that can wound or even kill you, snaking around…