Today at 11:45 we were finally allowed to enter the ‘secret garden’ up on our very own Lone Mountain campus. The ‘secret garden’ is managed, maintained by a very kind man named Father Tom Lucas who let us listen to his very educational and insightful ramblings for over an hour. The garden has been flourishing for over 9 years and Tom has been putting the flesh on the bones for quite some time. He is a master gardener and very knowledgeable about his passion and hobby. He says that “running water is essential to a garden, it brings in different elements, birds, fish, raccoons, different plant life and even red-tailed hawks.” Their are 25 to 30 people living in the Jesuit community on Lone Mountain and garden is their secret sanctuary. People come to eat lunch on the patio, or dinner on a warm night, indulge in a cocktail before dinner, reflect and pray, read a book or just simply enjoy the scenery or incredible view.
Father Tom Lucas had a lot to say about the importance of gardens. He talked about their great significance not only for the community but especially for himself. He better understands life through the metaphors the garden provides, the idea of weeding, watering, pruning, planting, and enjoying as a reflection of reality and the human body and should. He says “a garden gives you room, thats why we have Golden Gate Park, it provides lungs for the city, for physical health and for mental health”.
The “secret garden’ for most students might just be a forbidden place on campus, but to the Jesuit community and especially Tom Lucas it is a artistic project, a temperal artform, and most importantly a metaphor for life.
The pictures of the garden will be shown in the next post!
soon you'll understand 