Are you growing weeds?

Foliage is returning to the landscape. Trees are unfurling their newborn leaves. The grass is creeping back into the places left yellowing and bare by the winter frosts.

The lure of sunshine and twittering birds drew me outside for a leisurely walk today. I noticed each lawn as I passed, some already lush, others bravely spreading their blades across the naked patches. Wild Violets roam freely.

Then a realization strikes me and my heart sinks. In just a few short weeks, the manicurists will be back to their posts, rolling, plucking, trimming, and perfecting their carpet-like plots. These vibrant purple blooms will be drowned out by weed killer and ripped from their nurturing beds.?

I pause and appreciate all the lovely weeds, so full of life, so unaware of the finitude of their existence. For me, they embody the most admirable qualities I could hope to express.?

Weeds are unapologetic. They do not ask permission to take up space. They do not worry about imposing upon others.?

Weeds are their own perfect expression of beauty; some tall, spiny, and delicate; others low, creeping, and colorful.?

The appearance of many weeds exposes a weakness in their environment. Perhaps the ground is too wet, the soil is unhealthy, or the lawn is too shaded.?

Weeds defy the odds and flourish in places other flora cannot grow.?

Weeds concern themselves with others. Many weeds are medicinal and can be harvested to aid myriad conditions. Weeds support the work of pollinators, spreading health to the entire ecosystem.

I know at this point some of you are thinking, “But Bridget, if the weeds grow wild in my yard, what will my neighbors think of me?” That kind of thinking is exactly what leads to so much time and money spent on acres of uniform, socially acceptable carpet-lawns. Why do we even care what our grass looks like?

Be the weeds. Show up as your whole, expressive, mold-breaking self. Hold those mirrors up and remember - what they don’t like about you is just a shadow of themselves they haven’t loved yet. Grow where others can’t or don’t dare. Be of service. Support the collective. Love the heck out of other selves. Grow with wild abandon!

P.S. I’m allergic to grass anyway.