BTW, yes, the roses are actually my garden. Annual pruning coming up in early March. Photos will ensue after the pruning, then we'll contrast that with mid-Spring's lush green canes and thick floral abundance.
How gratifying to take such care, work with such precision, invest so much muscle and sweat, and anticipate such beauty with so much confidence. Ah yes, to make our lives such a garden!
December 26, 2009
BE THE GARDENER
“Out of damp and gloomy days, out of solitude, out of loveless words directed at us, conclusions grow up in us like fungus: one morning they are there, we know not how, and they gaze upon us, morose and gray. Woe to the thinker who is not the gardener but only the soil of the plants that grow in him.”
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
Attitude is what it is all about.
I have two weeks off of the “day job”. I covet these two weeks. I covet them passionately. I am almost through the first week. I have a bit more than one week left.
I have been working on a project here in my house. I am moving some books around from one room to another and vice versa. It is a re-organization project I have needed to do for a long while. It relates to the office I have in which I do my writing, and it relates to cleaning up another room in the house.
Also, I am going to clean out my bedroom closets when I am done with the book project. Goodwill is going to “inherit” the stuff I get rid of (that is, the stuff which doesn’t go to the trash can).
I was fretting yesterday about knowing these two projects are going to take another three to four days to complete. The projects are eating into the remainder of my two weeks off!
I was getting my knickers into a little twist over it.
Then I took a deep breath. I took a few more deep breaths and said to myself, “Self, you have two brilliant weeks off. They are being used for a good purpose. There will be ample time to play after the projects are done, and you will feel refreshed when they are finished. You will be satisfied to finish them, and it will make the remaining time off all the better. Quit your lame whining and knickers twisting.”
Attitude switch over occurrence. **click**
It is the day after Christmas and yesterday I got quite a lot done, thank you very much. I had my Christmas festivities with the fam yesterday. Then I came home and did some work on the computer, and I worked a bit on my book re-org project. I am very happy I was industrious enough to accomplish a good deal - especially for a holiday.
So, I am going to be the gardener come what may. Out of damp and gloomy days, solitude, and any loveless words directed my way, I will not allow anything to grow like fungus. I will not be the soil of the plants that grow in me. I will instead be the gardener and cultivate something more - more than fungus, more than whatever plants grow of their own accord. I will be the gardener who tends the plot and brings it to beauty.
Click on the photo for a larger view.
So, my friends, let us all Be The Gardener.
Polla Filia,
J.F.
