Plants Are Wonderful Teachers

In bygone days, your grandma and grandpa recognized fully the value behind gardening, or they wouldn't have spent so much time to weeding, pruning, getting scratched and sweaty, and digging around the base of plants.

I saw this more fully around my backyard deck. As I dove into the daunting task of cutting back an unwieldy planter box of petunias, dianthus and wandering verbena, I admired the distant appearance of abundance. The full picture brought about by the sun's rays, my having watered and fertilized, was so lovely. Inexperienced gardeners would stop here, not realizing the importance of deadheading to encourage growth.

When I started to work, I became very aware of so many changes since I'd pruned only a few weeks earlier. Complete areas had withered away. The deeper I ventured into the plants, the more I recognized that had to be eliminated. When the plants grew stronger, pieces that had been their foundation became unnecessary. The pruning done allowed the unique beauty of each plant to be displayed.

The harder I worked to remove dead components, the more I found. When I stood back to admire my work the outward appearance hadn't changed dramatically, but I knew that the plant was stronger and healthier. My effort was complete. Or so I thought.

I walked around to see the opposing view of the planter and soon learned that there was additional work to be done. Nature had taught me some wonderful lessons via her gifts? I was reminded of two life lessons which are beneficial to revisit from time to time.

1) In order to grow, these plants had to let go of parts of themselves. In fact, the more they allowed unneeded fractions to break away, the more resilient and burgeoning they became. For us humans this means not holding onto the parts of us that have wilted away -- emotional injuries, outdated beliefs and hurtful images of our past. Let go of your parents' mistakes, hurtful adolescent remarks and your own misjudgments or errors. Like a dried-up leaf, they are no longer a part of who you are today and are only masking your brilliance.

2) I thought my last task was completed, but it was not. Looking at it from another angle provided vital new information on which to work. And if I had stood above it and below it, I would have continued to discover new parts to be eliminated. Another observer could have found even more to work on. The work with any living thing, while rewarding and challenging, is never really done. This is a reality. When you let go, life begins to unfold.

I urge you to garden. Experience this allegory for yourself in your own yard or explore through your journal. Please take time this week to stand back to see what is growing within you and what needs to be pruned away for good. Be bold. Make strong final cuts. Life lessons can be easily learned. Enjoy your discoveries and have an insightful week.

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