Image by Bien Stephenson via Flickr

Marina looked her hands covered with dirt; it was even under her fingernails, making them look as if she had never cleaned them in her life.  Instead of being annoyed, she smiled to herself and in so doing a feeling of contentment rose within her.  She loved working in the garden, digging the soil and planting the new seedling for the coming summer. Watching them grow into beautiful plants laden with different vegetables that  wouldfeed her family with all their nourishing goodness.

Religiously, every spring after the last of the snow had melted into the earth leaving it  soft and moist in its awakening, it silently beckoned Marina to come and sow the new seeds that she had lovingly tendered through the winter months  She picked up a handful of black soil and a smile touched her lips; a small worm wriggled out as if to bid her good morning. She gently places it down into the soil to continue doing its work. 

As she straighted up  her eyes rose  towards the  majestic mountains  still covered with snow: like them the earth would always be there with its magic of life’s reproduction. It would always feed her and her family and all the others that were to come after. She continued working with a light heart.