Monday, January 25, 2010

Gardening 101





I have a garden. And in that garden, I tend my life.
(Yes, this metaphor, tho cliche, is going somewhere....)




I water and feed it with my habits and fears and beliefs. And although it has to weather the unexpected storms the Universe throws at it, for the most part, I do have a lot of control over the quality of what matures and "bears fruit." I have control over how tidy or overgrown it is. I can choose not to compare it so mch with other gardens. I can control the weeds if I pay attention and stay vigilent.


(Villandry Gardens, France)


It really is that simple. It's one of the simplest things in life. We may not have the richest soil or the largest garden at our disposal, and we can't control the weather... but for the most part, we do generally reap what we sow.



We don't always like to hear this when things aren't going the way we want them to. Just like a gardener doesn't like being invaded by rabbits or bad weather or the unexpected. Things we can't control do happen. But I'm not talking about the tragedies and mishaps (earthquakes, disease, misfortune etc). I'm just thinking about the control we have over the lion's share of our day-to-day lives. It's so easy to get sucked into the drama and victim beliefs around us.


Last week, I realized I was carrying around all this discontent and disappointment; I had planted so much worry for the future. And it caught me by surprise. I sat quietly and took it apart, attitude by attitude, and began to see that I was feeling so helpless to change the present. But carrying this in the present was damaging the seed I plant for tomorrow. I let go of it. I looked to the horizon. I began planting a better attitude. I remembered that I feel better when I trust the process, trust the future. Even tho the current events of my life don't always feel very trustworthy.



Best not to waste my energy on decrying life's storms and unpleasant incidences (he says as it starts raining out his window... ha ha, Universe, very funny). I really need to focus. When I plant a bunch of seeds, something will indeed grow. I'll keep the rabbits and weeds out (the negativity of others, the doubts I am prone to, the impatience and disappointment).


The more I focus on a healthy garden, the more I have to harvest and share with others. And just when I'm not expecting it, there's that amazing event that grows so unexpectedly in my life. Sometimes few and far between, but always a reminder to keep believing in the process.

Or to quote Conan O'Brien this last week:

"I hate cynicism... It doesn’t lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen. I'm tellin' you, it's just true."

~Shephard :)


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posted by Shephard @
1:10 PM |

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