Chapter 2

“Hi, Sarah. You sure have created a beautiful garden. You always seem to have a smile on your face when I see you working in your garden. Hard work generally doesn’t bring a smile to people’s faces, but the harder you work, the more you seem to smile.”

“Heather, my garden is my escape from the garbage surrounding us. I’d rather feed garbage to my compost heap than accept the garbage people freely dump on me. When I was younger, I dreamed of finding someone special to create a life with, but now I realize I can create a life on my own, without the complications of others. Spending time in my garden allows me to experience the results of my experiments, while watching life grow all around me.”

“Sarah, you were living here before we bought our house, yet I’ve rarely seen anyone sharing your beautiful life. Do you prefer being alone?”

“No, though I’ve never been drawn to large groups, I do enjoy connecting with others. I’ve just found most people to be very stressful for me. I’ve always been a people pleaser, and people have always freely shared their beliefs of what I should do. Wanting to please them, I’ve ended up focusing on their priorities, while letting my priorities take a back seat. Eventually, I just ended up feeling burned out. People sapped me of my energy, so I felt drained. Alone, I’m able to address my priorities and energize myself. I’ve learned I either have the ability or have the ability to acquire the ability, so I’ve become very self-sufficient. I don’t need anyone to meet my needs. I can provide my own happiness and fulfillment.”