Serenity Gardens – The Invisible Wound
Serenity Gardens is having our first fundraiser event this September. On September 10, 2022, I will partake in a 26.2 mile ruck march hosted by Tejas Trails. Our theme for this fundraiser is The Invisible Wound.
This event is twofold.
- Every mile will focus on the individual letter of the Serenity Gardens alphabet.
- The ruck is a 30lb pack. My 30 lbs represent the invisible wounds that so many veterans carry every day of their lives.
Allow me to share my invisible wounds.
- I received counseling for anger, depression, anxiety, survivor remorse, and marriage and family support.
- Hearing unexpected loud noises still unnerves me 13 years after my first deployment.
- I counseled with fellow service members dealing with divorce.
- A friend and fellow veteran from my first deployment committed suicide.
- Veterans that I served with during both deployments died stateside.
Formed in January 2022, Serenity Gardens is a non-profit developed by veterans to help their fellow service members and their families heal and reconnect through horticulture.
We at Serenity Gardens are raising money to build a garden space that will serve as a refuge and respite for veterans, service members, and their families struggling with everyday life. The focus will be on reintegration through social, vocational, and therapeutic programs rooted within the field of horticulture.
These three programs target the three stages of recovery: Safety and Stabilization (Plant the Seed), Remembrance and Mourning (Water the Ground), and Reintegration (Extend your Roots).
We are ready to “plant the seed, water the ground, and allow our garden to grow” so others may come and thrive in the natural setting that helped us reintegrate with our families and society after our deployments. Funds raised by this event will go to build our inaugural garden space.
Serenity Gardens Alphabet
A – Advocate for myself respectfully.
B – Bravery
C – Cultivate your life
D – Depression
E – Explore the wonders of nature.
F – Foster the growth
G – Grow Yourself
H – Healing through Horticulture
I – Invisible Wound
J – Judgement Free
K – Kindness
L – Learn about myself, about plants, and about life
M – Mindset
N – Narrate my new chapter.
O – Observe the patterns in nature and parallels to life.
P – Plan for the next season purposefully.
Q – Quality over Quantity
R – Respect Yourself
S – Serenity
T – Transition Effectively.
U – Untroubled
V – Vocation
W – Wildlife
X – Xeriscape
Y – Your Story
Z – Zero Excuses