Some people say expectations set us up for disappointment. But as a gardener I say, “I must have expectations for the fruits of my labor. Otherwise, why would I plant?” And more often than not, the final product — of abundant produceandbeautiful blooms — farexceeds my expectations.
Still, sometimes plant wilt. Sometimes they become diseased. Sometimes it’s excessive heat or too little rain that hinders the intended outcome. But, while there is no guarantee, the end result is more true for plants than people.
How do you handle expectations? Do you allow them to create a vision? Do you have a blank slate, throw your hands up in the air and accept whatever comes? Do you reserve expectations only for plant life or allow them to carry over to relationships?
Reading a snippet about feeling awkward around kids reaffirmed there is nothing wrong with those who feel uncomfortable around children. Perhaps you have no experience with kids. Does your gut groan around pre-adolescents…looking for what to say? Have you purposely chosen to not father children but instead protectively care for plants, pets, or a project benefiting the planet?
Rather than judge or condemn, I respect those who live authentically. One size does not fit all. We are not meant to be experts at everything; some are better at some things than others, and sustaining that diversity honors all life. I respect individuality but believe all of us need nurturing in whatever form it may be as evidenced by Ralph Waldo Emerson‘s sentiments:
My joy is in a serene garden and when helping others. Over three decades, I have created three-season flowering gardens, beautiful landscaping for the natural environment, and deliciously fresh organic vegetables and herbs. It’s hard to say who was more nurtured in these activities — the plants or me — but, assuredly, the benefits were far-reaching.
Digging in the dirt…unearthing rocks, weeds, my thoughts turn to life’s struggles…times my heart was breaking and I did not see a way out, a reasonable solution, how to get past the pain of the moment. Not knowing what else to do, I dug in the dirt. I weeded. I carried rocks. Pails of small ones, and wheelbarrows of large ones until I ached. Ached so bad I could barely sleep but went back out and did it all over again the next day. And the next.
Unable to remove the boulder that was there, and would always be there like unresolved abysmal hurt, I tried to conceal it. Find a way around it. Moving on, I cultivated the impermeable soil to breathe and grow while filling my thoughts with affirmations and new perspectives. Taking time to nurture nature, nature began nurturing me.
Photo by Vince Fleming on Unsplash
If you’ve ever felt dishonored or abandoned, turn to nature. Love her. Honor her. Nurture her to soothe the soul. She is always there for you.
Take orphans — or any neglected children — into the garden. Create. Nurture. Love. Watch them grow.
Photo by Jamie Mink on Unsplash
Photo by sean-malone from Unsplash
Photo by Tong Nguyen van on Unsplash
Photo by Robert Fischetto on Unsplash
Photo by Matthew Pla on Unsplash
Featured black/white photo (original in color) by Meghan Holmes on Unsplash.
Actually every day is a mother’s day. This lifetime commitment isn’t always easy, celebrated, or what you thought it would be. I’ve been lucky enough to be Bess’ Mom for 13 years but she’s the one teaching me. Bess is my beloved Border Collie who romps around the garden and shows me how to love all days:
I grew up seeing public service messages of a Native American crying about litter strewn across the land and water they honored. The message stuck. I don’t litter. And I honor, I love, Mother Earth and our environment.
When Earth Day began in 1970, it seemed like a good idea at the time. It still does. We just need 364 more days of it. Worldwide.
In my lifetime of globalization, littering escalated to what you see below. The five major oceans on our planet all have garbage patches. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is larger than Texas. Unthinkable, isn’t it?!
Today, I am the one shedding tears for how humans and corporations worldwide are polluting our land and oceans. There are plenty of examples showing how we are destroying our environment. You’ve seen them. I have too. Some become active or proactive but too many turn away in apathy saying “there is nothing one can do” yet it is up to each of us to care, to not look away.
A long time ago I heard the sentiment, “Ignore your health long enough and maybe it will go away.” That stuck with me too. Ignore problems and maybe they’ll go away… maybe. Maybe they’ll snowball and be harder and more costly to solve. Or, maybe they’ll become unsolvable. Call me an insurance salesman’s dream — I’d rather pay now than pay later. Maybe, probably, if we ignore the environment long enough, it will go away.
“From poisoning and injuring marine life to the ubiquitous presence of plastics in our food to disrupting human hormones and causing major life-threatening diseases and early puberty, the exponential growth of plastics is threatening our planet’s survival.” from the Earth Day Network.
Has the message stuck?
What are you willing to do to honor Mother Earth and our planet? Will you commit to stop using plastic bags, bottled water, and plastic tableware? How about microbead cleansers? Will you educate others about plastic pollution in our environment and to our bodies? Share a video on the sea of garbage, lobby for bio benign plastic packaging, boycott companies responsible for oil spills? Get creative. No matter how large or small, we each need to do our part.
ACT. To make a difference.
And as Earth Day approaches on April 22nd, remember the oceans too.
…to do the right thing. Please, if you love your pet you need to watch this ASAP. There are several segments but each one is available to see for only 24 hours. I offer this because I gravitate to nature and natural treatments. Much of the critical information is shockingly true for our pets, ourselves and in our society: https://go2.thetruthaboutcancer.com/pet-docuseries/episode-1/
