Richard W. shared a page on March 31, 2023

Planting Jan’s Garden

The Power of True Love Transforms Hanson Park

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 16 seconds

Yesterday, I woke at half past five and told Jan how much I loved her in the darkness of my bedroom.

I abbreviated my walk as I received a text from Nelson, the landscaper, who had notified me he would add plants to Jan’s Memorial Garden the previous evening.

Nelson informed me that once they complete this, Hal, the irrigation contractor, will install the drip irrigation system tomorrow, and the remaining plants will arrive next week.

My feet danced as I walked to Hanson Park. I could not believe how fortuitous the timing was. Jan’s garden would take a significant step toward competition on my birthday!

Melissa, a woman I had never met, walked her cocker spaniel through the park and stopped to speak with us. Initially, she had kept a wide berth from the work site.

She inquired where she and her husband could order a similar sculpture for her home. I provided the information, and Nelson gave her his phone number.

“Hanson Park was always fantastic, but now it is truly spectacular, beautiful, and memorable. Why did they decide to make these improvements now?”

I explained to her that it was a memorial for Jan, my wife.

Melissa handed her dog’s leash to Nelson and hugged me.

“May the peacefulness and beauty of your wife’s memorial help you heal. I know the tranquity of your wife’s memorial in the park helps me every day when I walk thru this jewel in Cranford.”

I mumbled thank you but could not formulate a more articulate response.

After Melissa and Nelson left, I sat on Jan’s bench that faces the Rahway River.

When Nelson had scheduled the initial work on the garden and the sculpture on Jan’s mid-year birthday, I had accepted it might be a sign from her or a mere coincidence.

But having now scheduled the start of the final phase on my birthday, I could no longer assume this was coincidental.

The only answer was that it was a message from Jan and a confirmation that my guardian angels protected me and reminded me that faith and love matter.

As Viktor E. Frankl wrote in Man’s Search for Meaning, “Love is the ultimate and highest goal to which man can aspire.”

When I met Jan, her love transformed my life. Like Frankl, I knew my salvation would be “through love and in love.”

I rose from the bench and decided to walk back to Jan’s garden to imagine I was viewing it thru someone else’s eyes for the first time.

As I approached, the spinning of the sculpture slowed, and at first, it looked like a flower blooming.

Jan died, but her love did not. From the depths of my grief, I have learned that I can bring her with me by sharing her passion for life. As Melissa confirmed, sharing Jan’s love can help others.

Standing in the sculpture’s shadow, I felt warm air on my neck. Then a quiet voice began to sing All You Need is Love. Unable to hold a tune, I hummed.

All I have ever needed was Jan’s love.

Jan’s sweet voice whispered, “I love you and always will. I will always be with you as long as you share my love.”

Yes, my love, I will share your love now and forever with those who desperately need love!

Because all we need is love to repair the world.

The Jan Lilien Education Fund sponsors ongoing sustainability and environmental awareness programs. Gifts made this month; I will match dollar-for-dollar. All donations are tax-deductible.

I receive a commission when you buy a book or product using a link on this page. Thank you for supporting Sharing Jan’s Love blog.

Jan’s Memorial Garden

Working with the Hanson Park Conservancy, we have taken significant steps in building Jan's Memorial Triangle Garden at Hanson Park including installing the Wind Sculpture.