The Twelve Gifts from the Garden: Life Lessons for Peace and Well-Being

by Charlene Costanzo

Overview

The author of Opening the Gifts shares essays inspired by nature and the life lessons she learned while pausing to reflect during rough points in her life.
During a tropical storm. In the aftermath of chemotherapy. Amid marital discord. These are among the times author Charlene Costanzo found comfort, joy, hope, and healing in Sanibel Island's botanical garden. She also learned a few things. Eventually she amassed a collection of wisdom from these experiences and now, she shares these insights with you.
If you look closely, plants sprout with willpower and bloom with determination. Drawing from the beautiful nature of trees and flowers, Charlene crafts garden-inspired messages from her experiences with healing and understanding. Inside, find quotes, reflections, and even bonus material:

• Pen-and-ink line drawings with illustrations of flowers, leaves, and garden plants
• Charlene's Twelve Gifts resource and lessons learned in the garden
• An epilogue from two other locales: Sedona, Arizona, and St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Each gift-from-the-garden message asks readers to imagine walking in the author's sandals—or at least by her side—and try to perceive as she did. The journey is sometimes whimsical, often idealistic, and always encouraging. Charlene hopes that this book will ultimately enrich and empower readers as they journey through life in their own shoes.
Perfect for readers of Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Praise for The Twelve Gifts from the Garden
"With the wonder of a child, the introspection of a mature woman, and the wisdom of the elders, Charlene Costanzo inspires us to discover the hidden treasures of nature." —Gloria Gaynor, Grammy Award–winning singer and author of I Will Survive: The Book and We Will Survive: True Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration, and the Power of Song
"This book is a feast, a dream, a wondrous adventure." —Sherry Richert Belul, founder of Simply Celebrate and author of Say It Now
"A joyful read bursting with the beauty of nature and reflections of lessons learned in life . . . . Most mornings, reading her reflections gives me goosebumps because they are like having a cup of coffee with God . . . . This is a wonderful book to gift yourself and others!" —Gina La Benz, author of Anchor Moments: Hope, Healing, and Forgiveness

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781642503739
Publisher:	Mango Media
Publication date:	09/15/2020
Sold by:	OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED - EBKS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	219
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Charlene Costanzo is an award-winning author, experiential workshop facilitator, retreat leader, and speaker. In seven books, hundreds of presentations, and thousands of daily reflections, Charlene has elucidated The Twelve Gifts message. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy from St. Bonaventure University and an M.A. in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica.

Table of Contents

Note to the Reader 14

Preface 15

Introduction 21

First Crossing 25

The Pom-Pom Palm 27

The Silk Floss Tree 31

The Beach Garden 36

A Bamboo Concert 41

Time Travel 44

Family Tree 50

Words of Nature, Nature of Words 52

Fruit of the Bloom 57

The Great Pretender 61

Wildflower Wisdom 65

Here and There 68

Enduring Debby 75

First Time Alone 81

Black Swallowtail 83

From Holey to Holy 84

No-See-Ums 85

Down but Not Out 90

Dead but Not Done 93

Photo of the Day 97

Smiley 101

Joewood 105

Mistaken Identity 108

Sea Legs 113

Upside Down 116

Joie de Vivre 121

If I Had an Apple 125

Bird-Watching, Bee-Watching 128

Seeing the Light 131

Namaste, Jai Bhagwan 133

Dawn 135

Four-Leaf Clover 142

Turk's Cap Mallow 145

Big Chair, Little Me 149

Angel's Trumpet 152

Scrambled Eggs with a Side of Compassion 156

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow 164

Aging Like Brunfelsia 168

Holy Mystery 176

Talentry 180

Blessed 183

Post-Op 187

Mamey Sapote 190

Bella Hope 194

What My Toes Find 198

A Hundred Million Miracles 200

The Generosity of Trees 202

Never Say Never 205

Roots 209

Home Sweet Home 213

Forks in the Road 216

Epilogue 218

Do You See What I See? 219

A Tree Grows in Sedona 222

Gregg Buckthorn 225

Animal Wisdom 228

Afterword 234

For Reflection and Discussion 236

Acknowledgements 242

Beyond the Botanical Garden 244

Enter the Garden 246

About the Author 247

About the Illustrator 249

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“For this reader, the whole of the book cannot be consumed in one or two sittings. Reading a few of the essays, and taking time to think about them, is enlightening. Admittedly, some spark recognition of my life and experiences more than others. I suspect though, that I will return to many of them more than once, as life, flora, and fauna change daily. Especially in 2020, this is a resource for mind, character, spirit, and love. We can all use life lessons for peace and tranquility.”
—Santiva Chronicle

“Charlene takes us on a journey with delightful stories of wisdom, trust, and forgiveness in The Twelve Gifts from the Garden. Stopping and listening inwardly, she attunes to the wisdom of the plants, trees, and gardens she encounters on a small island off the coast of Florida. The beauty in the silence and the wisdom received from attuning to nature points us to the beautiful gift of life itself. Charlene’s book is lovely and insightful.”
—Drs. Ron & Mary Hulnick, founding faculty and co-directors of the University of Santa Monica

“The Twelve Gifts from the Garden invites us to see the beauty of Sanibel through the imaginative perspective of its author. While taking readers on a journey through lush tropical greenery, Charlene Costanzo offers parables of life and love that will last a lifetime. This is a lovely gift to give to oneself and to others.”
—Charles Sobezak, author of Living Sanibel: A Nature Guide to Sanibel and Captiva Islands, The Living Gulf Coast, and Six Mornings on Sanibel

“Reading The Twelve Gifts from the Garden brought me to a state of deep peace with a greater sense of well-being. Although I have not been to the botanical garden on the island, I have visited Sanibel several times. Between my own experiences on that sanctuary island and Charlene's descriptions, which I found to be reverent, vivid, and whimsical, I felt virtually transported into the garden that inspires her. Her stories resonated with my own, stirred my hope and wonder, and inspired me to more deeply appreciate the natural world. What I find most satisfying in her writing is how she weaves together the qualities she sees in plants, with the natural resources in us, and her own life experiences in a way that comforts, uplifts, and encourages readers to pay attention to Mother Nature. Charlene, as did the ancient ones in the wisdom traditions, encourages us to take lessons from nature, to look beyond first impressions, to engage in the felt experience of how nature feeds, enriches, and nourishes us. Charlene helps us to think in a more contemplative way. She will inspire you to notice what resonates within you, to listen and feel for your own insights when visiting the green places around you. Her life-affirming messages are timeless and timely. This is a book I'll be gifting to others.”
—Ken Nelson, PhD, mind-body educator, wellness consultant, and senior teacher at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. Author of Life-Changing Workshops and founder and director of PowerfulWorkshops.com

“Twelve Gifts from the Garden is a joyful read bursting with the beauty of nature and reflections of lessons learned in life. I have been a fan of Charlene Costanzo’s daily emails and books for many years. Most mornings, reading her reflections gives me goosebumps because they are like having a cup of coffee with God. They are what I would imagine God would be saying to me in that moment because Charlene's reflections would be in line with what I prayed the night before. This is a wonderful book to gift yourself and others!”
—Gina La Benz, author of Anchor Moments: Hope, Healing, and Forgiveness

“This book is a feast, a dream, a wondrous adventure. Gift yourself with this exquisite collection of stories by Charlene Costanzo and you will feel transported from start to finish. Charlene is our gentle guide through inner and outer landscapes filled with meandering paths, curious questions, and colorful surprises. Along the way, you’ll meet black butterflies, beautyberry plants, pom pom palms—and, most importantly, your own inner garden. Our lives are fleeting gifts; Costanzo reminds us of this with every perfectly crafted sentence along this enchanting journey of a book.”
—Sherry Richert Belul, founder of Simply Celebrate and author of Say It Now: 33 Creative Ways to Say I Love You to the Most Important People in Your Life

“With the wonder of a child, the introspection of a mature woman, and the wisdom of the elders, Charlene Costanzo inspires us to discover the hidden treasures of nature as we make our way through this journey called life. In The Twelve Gifts from the Garden, her accounts of the blessings that she has gleaned from her journey move us to wonder. They arouse joyful anticipation of the blessings awaiting us on our own journeys. It is said that there are those who live in a constant state of amazement. This clearly describes Charlene Costanzo and those who follow her lead.”
—Gloria Gaynor, singer, Grammy Award-winner for “I Will Survive” and “Testimony” and author of I Will Survive: The Book and We Will Survive: True Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration, and the Power of Song

Interviews

The Twelve Gifts from the Garden offers life-guiding lessons through soul-nurturing reflections inspired by the foliage in a semitropical botanical garden on Florida’s Sanibel Island.