From the author of the award-winning Sunflowers Under Fire, comes an inspirational book with personal memories and stories from the world of mental health.
Along Came A Gardener is based on the thoughts and ideas the author Diana Stevan gleaned from her 25 years as a family therapist combined with those she found working in her garden. Stevan shows us that even when life looks grim, there are tools we can use to meet its challenges and move toward a better future. This book explores the nature of loving relationships and the lessons Nature provides in our backyards and beyond.
DIANA STEVAN is the author of five novels. This is her first non-fiction book. She lives with her husband Robert on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
From the author of the award-winning Sunflowers Under Fire, comes an inspirational book with personal memories and stories from the world of mental health.
Along Came A Gardener is based on the thoughts and ideas the author Diana Stevan gleaned from her 25 years as a family therapist combined with those she found working in her garden. Stevan shows us that even when life looks grim, there are tools we can use to meet its challenges and move toward a better future. This book explores the nature of loving relationships and the lessons Nature provides in our backyards and beyond.
DIANA STEVAN is the author of five novels. This is her first non-fiction book. She lives with her husband Robert on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Though I considered writing this book for decades, I only seriously began working on it during the COVID pandemicāa time that tested us all. This crisis robbed us of the social relationships that nurture us. Some of us weathered these challenges because of the support we had in our bubbles. Over Zoom calls and social media, we exchanged tales of hardships with friends and family. This became the standard way to stay in touch, linking the isolated with one another.
But many were truly alone, without the benefit of technology, which connected hundreds of millions around the globe. We watched television coverage of the elderly stuck behind glass in their care facilities, staring at their family members unable to visit them. Of the older adults we lost to COVID, Iām sure their sense of loneliness and abandonment were contributing factors in their deaths. Children and teens suffered, too, in immeasurable ways. Deprived of playtime and face-to-face communication with their peers, they lost precious years needed for social development. Whether you were old, young, or somewhere in between, the pandemic left its mark worldwide.
Where Would We Be Without Hope?
What kept many sane and reasonably content was hopeāhope that the fears and daily reports of those struck down by COVID would soon stop. While many hoped and prayed the vaccine would help us return to the lives we once had, there were countless others who questioned its value. But regardless of our differences, hope got us through the pandemic. It helped us avoid depression by not giving in to the worldwide gloom. To manage, we had to accept what was happening and do what we could to raise our spirits, such as making video calls and sourdough. We ventured into nature, where it was safe to breathe the air even when we passed others on forest trails. We read books, watched films, listened to music, and took online courses to escape our misery and boredom. It all helped to counter the fear and loneliness brought on by the pandemic.
Though we canāt see our worries, we know when weāre hurting. When weāre troubled, we donāt sleep well. And then weāre tired and cranky. We encounter physical problems when we donāt exercise to keep our limbs supple and useful. Our self-esteem suffers when we indulge in junk food, especially when weāre not hungry.
Overwhelmed, we canāt see a solution. Itās like standing at the base of a mountain shrouded in clouds; we canāt see the top. But if we step forward and begin the climb, we can get there, one step at a time.
The work never stops for improving our lives. Thereās always something to do, some problem to solve. Itās like a garden where weeds keep appearing year after year. If we ignore them, they multiply. Our lives can spiral out of control with too many negative thoughts weighing us down, keeping us rooted in one spot and stuck in our misery. Thatās when depression and anxiety hit the hardest. Hopeāthe sun on the horizonācan get us through.
Along Came a Gardener combines my love of gardening with what I learned during my twenty-five years as a family therapist.
When I first started practicing family therapy, I didnāt realize how naĆÆve I was. I believed I had all the answers. I had some, but I definitely had a lot to learn. As a therapist, I came across many storiesāeach unique, some heartbreaking, and many inspiring. But every one a gift. It was a blessing to meet with people from all walks of life. While helping many struggling with their problems, I also learned much to help myself, which is what I want to share with you.
And then thereās my garden with its many lessons. Osamu Shimomura, one of three winners of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, said, āHumans have learned various scientifically important matters, including genetics, by investigation of the various occurrences and mechanisms in nature; namely, we have learned from nature.ā I believe we also learn from Nature the art of good living.
I love seeing my garden wake up every spring like clockwork. The plants know when itās time to grow again, and such a miracle unfolds everywhere on the planet at different times of the year. Some plants, like the evergreens, seem to never sleep, remaining active and showing us their resilience. All we need to do is stop and consider what theyāre offering.
In this introduction, Iād like to leave you with one more note about Nature. S.R. Piccoli, in his book Blessed Are the Contrarians: Diary of a Journey Through Interesting Times, writes that the great Galileoāthe sixteenth-century Italian philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician considered to be the father of modern scienceāsaid in his homily for the feast of the Epiphany that God wrote the book of Nature in the language of mathematics. Galileo believed God gave humanity two books to guide them: the book of Sacred Scripture and the book of Nature. āAnd the language of nature is mathematics, so it is a language of God, a language of the Creator.ā
Galileo considered many paths to understanding our place in the universe. Not only did he study the stars and geometry, but he also explored art, poetry, and music. He famously said, āAll truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.ā
And so, this is true when we look at our lives. We donāt see all the possibilities. Occasionally, we need to pause and view them through a different lens. The fact youāve picked up this book suggests youāre interested in discovering what else is possible.
Names and circumstances have been altered in this book to protect peopleās privacy. I hope you find some inspiration within these pages.
Along Came a Gardener by Diana Stevan is the newest publication from a well-seasoned author based in Vancouver Island. Having already published five novels, Along Came a Gardener is the author's first foray into non-fiction, drawing extensively on her therapist background and her passion for gardening. Pulling both realms together creates something less common in the non-fiction genre, a title that is part memoir, part self-help guide.
Coming in at just over 250 pages, Along Came a Gardener charts Stevan's high-level observations of the clients she has supported over the years. This includes changes in individual values and beliefs, noting some of the patterns that have emerged over time. Sometimes using case studies of real clients, the book moves into generalised comments that allow readers to reflect on their own situation. In this sense the book can feel like a attending a therapy session itself, as if Stevan is sat in the room, talking to you in a calming voice. Quoting the author from her introduction, Stevan states:
When I first started practicing family therapy, I didnāt realize how naĆÆve I was...As a therapist, I came across many stories... {and} while helping many struggling with their problems, I also learned much to help myself, which is what I want to share with you.
While some chapters have titles that state the intended topic (e.g. "Anger Management"), others come with a gentler undertone (e.g. "Planting Beautiful Thoughts" and "Finding Balance"). Where appropriate, Stevan utilises gardening metaphors to give content a lighter tone of voice. A nice touch was the inclusion of a poem, penned by one of Stevan's therapy clients. Titled "Seeds of Hope", it is a touching addition to a delicately written self-help guide. This book is not intended to preach, more, show readers a way forward.
The book does jump around a little, moving from one chapter covering Stevan's path of becoming a fully licenced family therapist to, shortly afterwards, a brief history of psychotherapy. Along Came a Gardener is also peppered with light-hearted anecdotes detailing the author's love for gardening. The change of topics can feel a bit varied at first, but once readers get into the swing of the tone and pace the book becomes a much more relaxed read. Chapters are also accompanied by beautiful line drawings of plants which marry nicely with the pastels shades on the cover.
Along Came a Gardener is an engaging title from the very first sentence. A strong entry from a debut non-fiction author, I am quite sure this will not be the last we hear from Stevan in this theatre of writing. It is merely just the start.
AEB Reviews