With Spring in full swing, it is hard to ignore the capacity for resiliency and rebirth that our gardens show us.  Only a few weeks ago, there were twigs and bare patches of dirt looking up at a us. We have been anxious to see what, if anything, survived the winter.  Looking at our gardens, we’ve been hoping, wishing and praying for signs of renewal. Signs of revival. Signs that there is still hope in this world.

Our experience with the virus pandemic has brought the thoughts of life and death to our attention every day. Like the winter garden, we have been quiet. Like the stillness of that garden, we have waited and wondered if life will return. In that stillness, we have had lots of time to reflect upon thoughts, memories and emotions;  some have not always been easy to understand or to confront.  In this time of stillness, we have been left with ourselves. For some, this has been a positive time of self-exploration, self-care and learning.  For others, this quiet time has been a pit of despair filled with fear, loneliness and hopelessness.

Why the difference?  Why does one garden flourish while the other withers?

Look to the cycles of nature for the answer.  There is a time and a season for everything; nature understands this dance.  There needs to be stillness and quiet in order for us to hear the stirrings of our mind, body and soul.  From that place, we can dream.  We can create.  We can “sprout”.  We can grow. In effect, we are both the garden and the gardener of our life.  What we plant is up to us.  How we tend the garden, is up to us. When and how we use the harvest, is also up to us.  Nature uses its cycles wisely as it has faith in the process of life, death and rebirth. Nature trusts the dance, for it has been dancing for many years!

There are many things out of our control; this is certainly something that this covid experience has brought to light. Some people find not being in control unsettling as they have a particular idea and expectation of how the world should be and operate. Routine and predictability give them a sense of security.  Unfortunately for these folks, the universal law is one of Chaos!  No predictability, except that it is unpredictable.  In order to live with chaos, we must learn how to keep our inner core strong and resilient so we don’t forget who we are and what we are about while chaos swirls about us.  Like the eye of the tornado, we learn to stay calm, grounded and focused on what we can do, not what we can’t do. This is something we can control – it comes from within.

So, how does your garden grow?  Do you have faith, trust and enthusiasm to focus your intentions on the excitement of new growth, abundance and gratitude?  Do you have fear and mistrust to focus your energies on constriction, scarcity and blame?  It is always your choice as to the garden you create.  What you plant, feed and focus on will grow.  So the question is: what do you wish to harvest in your life?  Once you know the answer, you know how to proceed with your garden.  Happy Spring!  Happy Gardening!

DID YOU KNOW ...

Decided to end with a bit of humour this time. Funny, corny or groaners – whatever you call them –  may they bring a smile to your face today!  Thanks to Brenda for sharing these puns.

• • She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.
  • If you jumped off the bridge in Paris, you’d be in Seine.
  • No matter how much you push the envelope, it’ll still be stationery.
  • Two silk worms had a race. They ended in a tie.
  • A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it.
  • Atheism is a non-prophet organization.
  • I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.
  • The short fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.
  • Two fish swim into a concrete wall.  One turns to the other and says, “Dam”.
  • A vulture boards an airplane carrying two dead raccoons.  The stewardess looks at him and says, “I’m sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger.”
  • A photon is checking into a hotel. The bellhop approaches and asks, “Sir, do you have any luggage?”  The photon responds, “No, I’m traveling light.”