“Why Do You Work So Hard in the Garden? Let’s Just Enjoy the Lawn”

Brian wiped the sweat from his brow as he dug another hole in the backyard. The sun was high, and the heat was relentless. He glanced over at the small patch of lawn that was already starting to look lush and green. It would have been so easy to just extend that lawn, set up a couple of lounge chairs, and call it a day. But no, Brian had bigger plans.

“Brian, why do you work so hard in the garden?” Ella asked, stepping out onto the porch with a glass of lemonade. She handed it to him, her eyes filled with concern. “We could just plant a lawn and relax there. Why bother with a vegetable garden?”

Brian took a long sip of the lemonade, savoring the coolness. “Ella, it’s not just about relaxing. It’s about creating something with my own hands, something that will provide for us.”

Ella sighed, looking at the array of seeds and young plants waiting to be put into the ground. “But it’s so much work. And what if it doesn’t turn out the way you hope?”

Brian shrugged. “Then at least I tried. Besides, I enjoy it. It’s therapeutic.”

Ella didn’t understand it, but she didn’t argue further. She knew Brian well enough to know that once he set his mind on something, there was no changing it.

Days turned into weeks, and Brian’s vegetable garden began to take shape. He planted tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and even a few rows of corn. Every evening after work, he would spend hours tending to his garden, weeding, watering, and making sure everything was growing as it should.

Nathan, their neighbor, often watched from his own porch, shaking his head in disbelief. “You’re crazy, Brian,” he would call out. “All that work for a few vegetables? Just buy them from the store!”

But Brian would just smile and wave, undeterred by Nathan’s comments.

One evening, as Brian was finishing up for the day, Ella came out to join him. She looked around at the garden, now flourishing with green leaves and budding vegetables. “I have to admit, it does look beautiful,” she said.

Brian beamed with pride. “See? It’s worth it.”

But as the summer wore on, the work began to take its toll on Brian. He was constantly tired, his back ached, and he found himself spending less and less time with Ella. She missed their evenings together on the porch, just talking and enjoying each other’s company.

One particularly hot day, Brian collapsed in the garden. Ella found him lying among the tomato plants, unconscious. She called 911, her heart pounding with fear.

At the hospital, the doctor told them that Brian had suffered from heat exhaustion and dehydration. “You need to take it easy,” the doctor warned him. “Your body can’t handle this kind of strain.”

Brian nodded weakly, but Ella could see the disappointment in his eyes. He had put so much effort into the garden, and now he was being told to stop.

Back at home, Ella tried to convince Brian to take a break. “We can still enjoy the lawn,” she said gently. “We don’t need all these vegetables.”

But Brian was stubborn. He insisted on continuing his work, despite Ella’s pleas.

As the weeks went by, Brian’s health continued to decline. He lost weight, his energy levels plummeted, and he became increasingly irritable. Ella felt helpless, watching the man she loved deteriorate before her eyes.

One evening, as Brian was struggling to water the garden, he collapsed again. This time, he didn’t wake up.

Ella sat by his hospital bed, holding his hand as tears streamed down her face. “Why did you have to push yourself so hard?” she whispered.

Brian’s eyes fluttered open for a moment. “I wanted to give us something special,” he murmured weakly.

Ella shook her head, her heart breaking. “All I ever wanted was you.”

Brian passed away that night, leaving Ella with a garden full of vegetables and an empty heart.