There is an article in today's paper entitled "9 life lessons from the garden." It doesn't happen very often but, I believe every word of this article. Craig Chalquist of John F. Kennedy University says that research shows gardening can lift depression, release stress and anxiety, and strenghten the immune system.
This past year was the most depressing year and when I describe it to people the first words out of my mouth have been..."I did not work in my yard once!" My next door neighbor even made the comment that she hadn't seen me in the yard this year...because she knows how I love to dig in the dirt. I had even told her last year, that if I changed careers it would be to work in gardening.
With all that was going on this past summer at work I let all the things I love go by the wayside, and as a result it was the most depressing summer I have had in a long time.
So what is the lesson...there are actually 9 of them and I love them all...but #7 is a jewel...
"When you taste something that grows in the garden and it's bitter, you spit it out. The garden teaches me that there are things my body doesn't find nutritious and that I should not let it into my system. Chalquist says. You may have people in your life who are like a sour fruit or a bitter herb. If they are tearing you down psychologically, remove them from your life."
Having put gardening aside this year has taught me a lesson, painful yes...but I heard the trees and flowers loud and clear and will not do it again.
No comments:
Post a Comment