Lyla Grace and the Power of Peonies
- 18 hours ago
- 2 min read
Lovely and loyal Lyla Grace has left this earthly existence. She was a fine dog and an incredible spiritual teacher. She spent virtually her entire life with me, all 15 years. She was steadfast and loyal to the end. Admittedly, she tested my patience, but it was always my fault, not hers. Her long life eventually led to lots of aches and pains, although she still had moments of acting like a rambunctious three year-old. There will not be another one like Lyla, and I am grateful for the lessons she taught me. Even after her passing, it seems her spirit has endured thanks to the power of peonies. Allow me to explain.
A few days before Lyla's imminent passing, I was sitting in the backyard under an oak tree, seated next to her. My husband surprised me with a peony. Later that evening, we put it in a vase and placed it near Lyla. A few days later, when I discovered the inevitable, the peony was on the ground. The crystal vase remained on the bench with no damage. She had no way of reaching it, so it is a mystery. It was almost as though the peony was trying to tell me something before I reached her.
Her body was placed next to the newly established pine grove. She had once conquered that treacherous topography, as detailed in this article a few years ago. The peony was placed between her paws. Little did I know that the Flower Moon of May 1st was upon us.
Even though we did not know it was a Flower Moon, we were riding through the Amish section of a neighboring county. We wondered out loud about what other colors are available in peonies. We even stopped by an Amish plant nursery, still unaware of the Flower Moon. Within the hour, we saw our Amish friends on the porch. The discussion turned to the lovely shades of their peonies, answering our question about the different varieties. The lady of the house said that the dark ones came from her grandmother's garden. Any time they have moved, she digs up a few and replants them at their new home. Every time they bloom, she thinks of her grandmother, which is a lovely way to acknowledge loved ones in our landscapes.
Surprisingly, we were gifted with some of these treasured peonies from her garden, as you can see in the photo above. Even though she did not know that we placed a peony with Lyla, it felt as though Lyla's sweet spirit was telling us she's okay, life goes on. Thank you, Lyla, for your love, patience, and forgiveness.
