It seems the most profound lessons come while working in the garden. Have you had that experience?
While trimming the hedges, I started thinking about the little kids giggling and weeding behind me--comparing them to these bushes. I'd let the garden go a little, and the weeds had taken full license. The hedges had overgrown their boundaries and were invading other plant's space. I imagined the bushes response to my clippers, how they would cry out in pain if they had a voice and ask, "Why are you doing this to me?" As I yanked the weeds free from around them, they might shriek, "Those are part of me!" They couldn't possibly see my vision for them--how they might bloom in their respective space and make the garden complete, or how the removal of weeds would ensure their continued prosperity.
I thought about how if I, as caretaker, had really cared about them, I would have trimmed them back before the pain was so great, before the stray branches were so thick, before they'd taken so powerfully to growing one direction, or before the weeds were so thick around them.
It's much the same with raising children, or better yet, raising ourselves. We have the power to shape ourselves into what we want to become, but occasionally that will mean painful trimming is required. It will require that weeds choking our time and energy be removed--and the sooner, the better. If we truly love ourselves, or those littles we're blessed with, we'll correct erroneous behavior or weed out dangerous elements right at the onset, rather than waiting until they've nearly destroyed the plant's true potential. We'll be vigilant, and regularly reevaluate our hedges needs, and we'll do our part--even when it's painful--to cut off that which keeps us from reaching our true potential.
Have you weeded your life lately?
I thought about how if I, as caretaker, had really cared about them, I would have trimmed them back before the pain was so great, before the stray branches were so thick, before they'd taken so powerfully to growing one direction, or before the weeds were so thick around them.
It's much the same with raising children, or better yet, raising ourselves. We have the power to shape ourselves into what we want to become, but occasionally that will mean painful trimming is required. It will require that weeds choking our time and energy be removed--and the sooner, the better. If we truly love ourselves, or those littles we're blessed with, we'll correct erroneous behavior or weed out dangerous elements right at the onset, rather than waiting until they've nearly destroyed the plant's true potential. We'll be vigilant, and regularly reevaluate our hedges needs, and we'll do our part--even when it's painful--to cut off that which keeps us from reaching our true potential.
Have you weeded your life lately?
I love this and I especially love the analogy you used with raising children. I am going to send this to my sister - she'll love it :)
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks for sharing, Keith.
DeleteGreat post! I did some weeding and trimming to my own life over the summer. I hope to not let it get so overgrown again.
ReplyDeleteI finally accepted your Super Sweet award over at my blog today.
Carol, I wish we only had to maintain it during the summer. It's times like this I miss the seasons, and I'm headed over to check it out. Wahoo!
DeleteVery nice analogy. I often think about those "weeds" taking up space in my life, detracting from the good things.
ReplyDeleteIt's so easy to let them creep in, eh? So hard to rip them out.
Deleteheh
ReplyDeleteI just did a similar post last week.
Yeah, I think I read that one--but it was before I spent 4 back-breaking hours in my own yard. That's a lot of time to think.
DeleteI have been weeding and trimming my life a lot lately. Although not so much my garden which is overflowing with weeds. But one thing at a time :) a really great post thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThat's so true! One thing at a time. If we let ourselves get overwhelmed by the vastness of the task ahead, we'll never make any progress.
DeleteGreat post. I definitely need to do some trimming and weeding in my own life.
ReplyDeleteDon't we all?
DeleteNice. I love gardening, and I always find some application to life.
ReplyDeleteOh, can I borrow you? I'll pay you in cheese. =)
DeleteI love weeding, more literally than figuratively though, only 'cause it's easier. ;)
ReplyDeleteLOL. You obviously didn't wrestle with the weeds in my yard. ;)
DeleteA very apt analogy. It can apply to revisioning too. :)
ReplyDeleteSo true. I think it can apply to almost any aspect of life.
DeleteOh, this is a wonderful post! And yes, I can apply it to my life right now! :)
ReplyDeleteWeed that living room crasher free, eh?
DeleteA great analogy. I do my very best to keep my little guy trimmed and free of weeds. He's such a sweet and gentle soul. I should do a better job with myself. Though it sometimes feels I have very little time to do so.
ReplyDeleteSuch is the role of a mother, eh? Always so busy worrying about everyone and everything else that there's no time for you. *sigh* Well, they're only little for so long.
DeleteIf we don't do the painful trimming, circumstances will usually do an even harsher job on us. So true!
ReplyDeleteAn ounce of prevention and all.
Deletewhat a profound post - I hope I do a better job at my life than I do in my garden because my plants are out of control!
ReplyDeleteLOL. Well, one day at a time, eh?
DeleteMy most profound thoughts come while I'm in the shower...
ReplyDeleteUsually that's the case for me too--because it's the only place I can find quiet and solitude. Kids are awesome.
DeleteVery insightful. I need to start pruning and pulling weeds.
ReplyDeleteWant to borrow my sheers? :)
DeleteI have had to readjust my schedule recently because I've been unwell. It's not easy cancelling or re-arranging things but that's better than waiting until something bad happens and having to do it anyway. Weeding and raising kids are easier in the long run when done right. No one wants an overrun weedy garden or worse an out of control (especially if angry) child.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. Sometimes health forces us make a few openings in our schedule. Hoping things go well, Sheena-kay.
DeleteI adore yard work --and any hard work for that matter-- for this very reason. It always ushers in clarity for something or another. Best therapy around is hard work outdoors. And best thing is it's free.
ReplyDeleteThoughtful post, Crystal! Perfect analogy!
Pk, you would! ;)
DeleteIt's true though, nothing clears the mind like hard work.
I think that is a hard lesson to learn, as a parent, to correct immediately when we see the problem begin. Before it morphs into something weedy or becomes entrenched. Some things, on the surface, don't seem to be that negative. Kinda like seeing something growing in the garden; is it a weed or a good plant? If it's a weed is it easy to manage or invasive. Some times we don't know until it grows and develops a bit. But the work to correct becomes much harder the longer it's allowed to develop.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I do have these inner dialogues especially when kicking myself about not getting on to it sooner. :-)
Sia McKye Over Coffee
It's true, and I suppose that's why we have other people with more experience to help us recognize the noxious weeds before they become a huge problem. =)
DeleteSo very true. Being a parent is a tough job.
ReplyDeleteThe hardest! But most rewarding.
DeleteBeautiful post, Crystal. I love the point about being diligent and responsible, and getting rid of weeds BEFORE they grow so big, and are so much harder to pull out. It's too easy to procrastinate, but the longer we wait, the harder we make it on ourselves. Thanks for the insight and inspiration today :)
ReplyDeleteYou know, that thought came while I was facing a 5 foot hedge with THORNS. Yikes. I realized if I didn't trim that monster back, it was going to be taller than me, and then how would I deal with it? Chainsaw and ladder?
DeleteThanks, Liz.
That's pretty profound! Next time I do a little gardening I'll be thinking about your words of wisdom!
ReplyDeleteGreat analogy. Life sure is easier when we're proactive and weeding regularly. As the kids get older, the best reward is when they start to weed the bad stuff themselves. (:
ReplyDeleteYes, I weed and trim. It's necessary. Who wants to stagnate and be wild and disorganized?
ReplyDeleteLoving this analogy! I've definitely been trying to do some "weeding" for my own life lately. Not the easiest thing to do, but I'm trying!
ReplyDeleteOkay, such a fine analogy. And once again I state that "analogy" is not the scientific study of a**holes! :)
ReplyDeleteMy garden, created from squalor. A sanctuary for the soil and my soul. In my life, I keep the weeds under control and do my best to maintain a positive environment.
A wonderful posting, Crystal.
The lawn ranger rides again.....
Gary :)
Beautiful, thought provoking post. :-)
ReplyDeleteI do weed out my life and cut back on things, even when it saddens me to do so. It's too easy to get bogged down otherwise.
It's surprisingly easy to ignore things until they become overwhelming. I've been trying not to notice how many weeds are in my own (literal) garden right now. My kids seem to be turning out rather nicely, thank goodness, but some other areas of my life could stand a pruning.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!