This morning we walked through our garden, as we do most every morning, and found two tomatoes had turned from a stubborn green to orange overnight. First tomatoes of the season; what joy! This summer has been unusually cool in the northeast and heat loving vegetables are slow to mature. For us, gardening is a nurturing activity. It gives us plenty of physical exercise, it encourages us to eat a healthy diet, it lends a spirit of anticipation to each day as we wait for the seeds to grow and at this end of the cycle for produce to ripen, and as we do the mindless activity of weeding or cultivating, it is a wonderful place to meditate. Another perk of gardening is that it keeps us constantly aware of our powerlessness in the face of nature's whims. Gardening is not a necessity for us; it's a hobby, but when I was growing up, the food the garden provided was what the family ate, and what we froze or canned, was a major part of our winter food. Now, if we have a year when crows destroy the corn, or rabbits eat every beat, bean, or carrot before it has a chance to grow, or the garden drowns from too much rain, or dies from drought, I wonder how my family always had vegetables on the table, and we never went hungry. Our garden makes us grateful for a sobriety that has taught us the joy of simple pleasures.
1 comment:
Gardening is a great metaphor for meditation. Thank you.
Post a Comment