Maybe you’ve heard the phrase, “You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt”? That’s called garden therapy.
Ain’t that the truth though?
I know not everyone has a green thumb or knows if they do. However, I do know that even weeding brings therapeutic sessions if we let it.
Ever tried letting dirt go by being in nature?
Well, consider yourself invited. Not only a garden therapy session, but also a real look at how trials can show up and stop us in our tracks.
Evidence, as shown below, of my kids’ and my efforts in my city gardening post (see all Life Updates HERE).
meh.
This planted daisy is matched with a volunteer tomato and both are doing awesome.
WE PLANT
As a youth, I would often feel trapped in my head and found that I could stay busy and not get in trouble for it (thanks to my narcissist parent) by going out and weeding.
Nevertheless, the other day, I had to step outside to just clear my head and went to look at the lack of seed growing. I share more details in my vlog below and continue writing in a minute.
See what I mean?
I try and try again and yet… you can see what my fruitless (or plant-less in this case) efforts in my vlog.
THAT’S OKAY.
First, it’s okay because I’m doing life and I will make mistakes and succeed as well. Second, life is too short to sit around twiddling fingers or too short to be too busy to stop and smell the roses.
I can relate to my morning glories climbing the sunflowers because they look so promising and, eventually, end up not where I want to be.
Or even climbing the thistle because I think that’s my lot in life – troubles everywhere.
Even my sunflowers and other plants are blooming where they’re planted and not giving up. These two were blown over by a nasty storm.
Talk about doing a 90° turn. heh.
Pity is what I feel for this flower that is literally shoved out of the box. Does it stop trying and die?
NOPE.
It doesn’t give up.
What is more… these flax flowers know to close each night and reopen each day to get what it needs.
SUPPORT
Maybe you’re like me and you’re on your own. My garden therapy session left me knowing that God is with me even in the tiniest, most unsuspecting places.
This bee is doing its job and Loula guards me as I tend to my garden.
In addition, I want to hear if you have your own garden therapy story to tell.
SHARE
It’s your turn to share the dirt and also invite you to pin and share to inspire others as well. With this in mind, thank you for joining in my cathartic garden goodness!
Before you go, be sure to sign up for my FREE newsletter. Until next time!
While you’re at it, here are more posts related to garden therapy:
I miss my beloved backyard so much. Like you, when life got overwhelming I would spend hours out there tending to my flower beds OR just sitting among them in the early morning with a coffee listening to birdsong. Now, thanks to the demise of my 38 year marriage, I have a small deck with zero privacy. I have flowers and veggies growing in pots but sadly it’s not the respite I so used to enjoy.
It is truly a place of respite, and I hope you can find similar to give you that peace, Marie.
I did not have a great childhood, but; one good memory was our garden. I so enjoyed fresh picked peas, pod and all. My yard today is a hot mess. Weeds have almost won out to the grass and I till spots to reseed only to loose more ground. I wish I had a nice garden and the energy to take care of it. I push myself to do what I can and this morning I was so stoved up I could barely move. There is hope in though……and maybe one day God will bless me with the reward of simply being able to finish what I start.
I totally understand. I did not want to do the garden this year and only made repairs in hopes to sell. I told my kids this will be the last year as they are no longer willing to help and I have no interest. Here’s to knowing our limits, Niki.
I would buy your house in a heartbeat if I lived in the area. The gardens are beautiful and nurturing to the soul. I took your insights to the garden with me today. Amazing how much God speaks there. Analogies to life abound. We may have to move one day too, but am going to stay put as long as possible. Loved moving when younger and the new challenges to remodel/remake and beautify a space. My body too old to do all of that now and don’t want to start over unless necessary. And I know one day it may be. Your children (still at home) may appreciate the stability of being in same home with the other changes that have gone on in recent past, if you can make it work. I’m speaking from my experience when my parents split. It was unnerving to have all of it change at the same time; home and their relationship. Maybe would have been easier if I’d been older? I’m in a season of grief too, and someone recently told me the sun will shine again. I eagerly await that promise. Hugs!
You’re so sweet, Mary. 🙂 Yes, long discussions with my kids and all are ready to make changes if need be and we all feel God leading. I am confident that if a move is in our future that it will be at the right time for all. I’m like you … want to be done remodeling as I’ve done it non-stop for 22 years. I want to just be and settle. Not interested in another project, but if it makes life easier then, I’m ready. Son awaits for me in heaven. Hugs to you too.