Gram's Begonia
Since some of you have asked, this is the story of my Gram's Begonia, that I gave out at the swap. I put a printed page in a plastic bag and put it into the pots of Begonia's I gave out:
"I have no idea what the official name for this Begonia is, I simply call it "Grams Begonia". The piece you have received came from a Begonia I started from a piece given to me by my Grandmother, whom I call "Gram". As with many of my plants, they have a story.
Gram is 91 years old and lives on her own in Ft. Pierce. She has outlived three husbands and three of her own children, including my mother. She is still very active and her mind is as sharp as a tack. She still gardens, cans, bakes, goes strawberry picking, you name it. She sells her canned and baked goods at a local farm stand. People come from all around to buy her goods and place orders for her Pickles, Jams, Banana Bread, Mango Bread, Strawberry Bread, etc.
Several years ago, Gram lost everything in Hurricane Jean. Her mobile home was destroyed when the roof was peeled back and practically everything she owned was destroyed. All she was able to salvage were some pictures, some clothes and a few pieces of furniture. What was left of the beloved plants inside her screened porch, she moved under the shade of an awning of an old tin building that still stood on her property. Miraculously this tin building withstood the winds. Under this awning is where she now tinkers with her plants, including the mama plant of this begonia.
For the first month after the storm she sat in a lawn chair, in the shade of an oak tree, waiting for FEMA to come. Even though she has several children in the area who asked her to move in and live with them, she would not. She would spend the night at their homes but everyday she insisted they bring her back to sit under the tree and wait. Eventually, FEMA came and brought her a camper and parked it on her little piece of land. This is where she lived for the next year, not because she had to but because she insisted. I can still hear her very words, "This is my home and IÂm staying right here". Everyone thought she was crazy.
Eventually, FEMA brought a full size trailer, fully furnished for her to live in for the next 18 months. She began saving every penny she could, hoping to buy this trailer from FEMA after the 18 months were up. She baked and canned and sold her goods to the farm stand. She worried and fretted and saved every dime.
Her church had a spaghetti dinner after one Sunday morning service to help raise funds for her. The minister made an announcement at the end of the service reminding everyone to stay for the spaghetti dinner. In church that morning was a stranger no one knew. The stranger raised his hand and asked my grandmother to stand up so he could see who she was. He was from out of town and had just happened to see the church and decided to attend Sunday morning services. He also asked if he could join in on the spaghetti dinner. At the dinner he spent a great deal of time talking to my grandmother and getting to know her.
At the end of the dinner, the money was counted and in the collection was a check for $5,000 made out to my grandmother and a note from the stranger saying that he felt God had sent him to this church for this very special reason. My grandmother called it simply, "a miracle". In total the church had raised over $7,000 on her behalf. Her hopes were high.
After 18 months were up, Gram had not heard a word from FEMA. One day a envelope arrived in the mail. In the envelope was the title to the trailer with GramÂs name on it. Nothing else, no explanation. To this day, Gram thinks FEMA gave her the trailer. No one knows for sure. Another miracle? Perhaps.
I hope that every time you look at this Begonia, you will be reminded of miracles, the kindness of strangers, the tenacity of the human spirit and of the little old woman I call Gram. May it flourish and prosper as my grandmother still does today."
I almost put a kleenex in the plastic bag as well! My Gram is an amazing lady.
Cherie
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