Learning and Growing in the Garden

I live in Florida even though I was born in New Jersey and lived up north for the first 11 years of my life. I can deal with snow, but I don't like driving in it. I learned how to drive in Florida, so snow driving scares me. It's funny to me, or ironic, that New Jersey is also known as The Garden State. If you've ever seen the majority of New Jersey you'd think that was funny also. It's very different from Florida in regards to scenery. They don't have much in common except for both having beaches, both having overpriced housing, and both having corporate businesses like restaurants we all know and love. Besides that they are like night and day. What does that have to do with my "Growing in the Garden" article? A lot actually. I grew up in both places and if I compare myself to a plant, a tree, or a flower, then it's important for me to think about how I grew in a tropical climate with a different type of soil, compared to a four seasons location where the soil is much richer.

I love the back yard. Many people in condensed cities living in apartment buildings do not have the blessing or joy of sitting outside in their back yard. There is a peace and serenity easily attained and enjoyed when one has the fine luxury of a back yard. I have been blessed with this gift and joy for the past three years. I can't always get to church, although I am trying to get the Sunday routine down again. However, when I'm stuck home because the car is broken down, sitting in the "garden" (the back yard) offers the peace of mind that I need in order to avoid over-reacting and/or causing more problems on top of the few problems that I'm already trying to solve.

When I first started planting plants and flowers, I didn't know what I was doing. I've learned everything I know about gardening by trial and error. Very rarely do I refer to the manual (the guidance of experts who have done it already) because I actually learn better and enjoy it when I try and fail. But I haven't failed as much as I've succeeded and that's the surprising joy that warms my heart when I sit back there and love all the flowers and plants that are thriving. My instincts have served me well.

I have two pink flower bushes, thanks to my sweetheart who offered me some free plants to add to the garden. They are in full bloom and are standing straight up towards the sky and sunlight. They look absolutely beautiful. I also have two poinsettia plants, and they are both healthy and still growing. I know how big those can get and it's fascinating to watch them grow from such a small starting point. I also have other plants and flowers that are doing very well and they tell me how they are doing each day by the way they look and move and droop or stand. I love watering them and the whole garden experience is like a meditation that I need to de-stress from the money problems and traffic problems and technology problems and political problems of the mad, mad world. In the garden, in the back yard, I can escape from all the chaos and just sit peacefully with my warm cup of tea or coffee, and talk to my cat about what we can do next to make the garden even better.

Never underestimate the power of the beauty of nature and what it can do for you in a spiritual way. I call my back yard "Peace Garden" and it really serves me that way and lives up to that name.