Even to diehard and fanatic gardeners, the act of gardening can sometimes be a series of never–ending mundane and repetitive actions.
Plant, water, weed, repeat….
But these seemingly monotonous and repetitive actions which constitute the act of gardening are the very cornerstones of how gardeners achieve inner peace, experience gratitude, and see beauty in even the smallest of miracles within nature and the natural world.
On any given day, I can walk into my garden and feel the sun and wind against my skin. How many times have I taken for granted the simple fact that I am able to own a home, live a life which is safe and free of violence, pick fresh tomatoes off the vine, or smell the intoxicating fragrance of Orienpet lilies? How easy it is for me to simply turn on a faucet to get a drink of cold water when I am thirsty or water my plants when they are dry. Do I take the time to notice the beauty of that perfect prism in a rainbow which lies at the end of a hose or suspends in the sky after an April shower?
How many seeds have I sowed (no doubt thousands) and watched grow into beautiful flowers or trees without truly noticing their miracle of transformation? The Metasequoia I planted as a mere sapling only four years ago now stands over twenty feet tall and has bravely survived – even thrived – the scorching heatwaves, winter blizzards, and spring thunderstorms of northern Kentucky. I often marvel at the sheer diversity of our planet’s plants and animals, and have even been brought to tears by the beauty of the changing seasons. However, I am also reminded the fragile and complex interrelationships between humans, plants, and animals in our world and the passing of seasons reflect not only the circle of life, but also, the miracle of life itself.
Maybe I’m feeling nostalgic for a simpler time when gun violence, hate-filled social media posts, or soul-sucking political bafflegab didn’t dominate news headlines. Or, perhaps, I’m just getting older – and maybe a little wiser. Monotony can no doubt be boring. But as with all things, perceptions are based on how one chooses to see the world and our place within it. For me, I find peace, experience gratitude, see beauty, and achieve well-being by interacting with nature and through those simple, monotonous, and repetitive acts of gardening.
Plant, water, weed, repeat.
