Out Loud: The Garden

Author’s note: I wrote The Garden to express to my Grandma and Grandpa how much they really mean to me. My grandpa died a few weeks after I wrote it. I am a ten year old with apraxia who was unable to say anything until I learned to spell to communicate two years ago. Having the ability to tell my family that I love them is the greatest gift in the world.

I was a seed in a small patch of earth.

I needed air and light, sunshine and rain.

To grow is hard…and I was a very small seed.

The world above the bed of soil was huge and scary and I was such a tiny seedling as I peeked

up at the sky for the first time.

But the air was fresh and the sky was blue

And the flowers around me danced in the breeze.

And I wanted to dance too.

But I was such a tiny bud and I needed to grow and become a flower too.

And people came in to give me water

And to clear the weeds so I could see the sun

And feel the air on my face.

And I grew and I bloomed.

And now I dance with the flowers.

Founders’ note: Not everyone is born with the ability to use their voice. Not everyone can easily communicate their thoughts, feelings, hopes and dreams. On this page, we’re give nonspeaking people in our community the opportunity to be heard. The authors are students at Mouth to Hand Learning Center in Mount Kisco. You can read about Mouth to Hand in the article “Force of Nature” on our website or in the September/October 2023 issue.

To read other Out Loud articles, click here.

This article was published in the January/February 2025 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.