TIME IN THE GARDEN

TIME IN THE GARDEN

I am very easily distracted, especially by the beauty of the early morning, as I find that this is when I am most inspired or able to come up with new ideas and insights. I often think of my distractions as procrastination, but what if I re-framed that thinking to embrace the beautiful journeys this often takes me on, such as the lessons I learned this morning?

I have been meaning to replant one of what I call my "Vietnamese Ladies" which are three chilli trees my good friend Madelein gave me. This morning I decided to "Just Do It" and it took less than five minutes. That took me past my various tomato plants in pots on the veranda where I discovered a rock rose which was so beautiful I stopped to admire it. I suddenly realised that the root was pointing up into the sky and when I lifted it I found that the rose was actually just resting on the soil living off the bottom leaves.

A thought came to mind as I looked at the two unripe tomatoes my wonderful little granddaughter picked for me, as little fingers are want to do. How apt it is that those tomatoes are doomed to die because they were still too far from maturity. I looked at the little bunches of different tomatoes still attached to the vine ripening slowly, and thought that this is the way nature intended. I also discovered a little red tomato which was ready for picking.

MY REFLECTION:

The rose of Sharon reminds me that when the foundation is strong we can continue away from the the source of life but eventually we will wither and die if we are not plugged in. Moving my Vietnamese lady reminded me that sometimes it is not the plant that is the problem, but the environment in which the plant is, and that the sooner we change that the better. Waiting for the winter to be over and waiting for a "better time" to make the change sometimes leads to death as the plant will not survive the coming frost. The tomatoes reminded me that sometimes life happens and we are picked before we are ready for it just like the green tomatoes . Other times we have the privilege of staying attached to the vine until we are ready, just like the bunches of tomatoes. And, just like the little red tomato, size doesn't matter when it is your time.............................