Walkway

The old walkway is no longer straight and plum, but rippled from years of traffic on top and moving earth beneath. Its bricks are uneven and the seams are filled with soil and weeds, making it unkempt in presentation. As a gardener, my job is to notice the weeds, the overgrowth, the empty spaces and freshen them, clean them, fill them with color or give them more space if needed. No matter what I do in the beds, I can’t help but notice the walkway that sits in front of it, allowing the growth of nasty weeds now turning brown. It’s an eyesore and it needs a shave! And so with knife in hand, I dig out and pull what I can. What remains must be burned. A handy torch attached to a propane bottle is the tool I use. A slow process, meditative really, I paint the flame over the crevices and burn what is stubbornly holding on. A small breeze picks up, normally a welcome visitor on a hot day, but not this day. I slow the torch until it passes, keeping on eye on the hose just in case. A couple of hours has passed and the weeds have been subdued. I look back at the old walkway, a worthy introduction to the colonial house it leads to, now showing the beauty of its history and life.