Can you live without plants?
It’s a gorgeous day! The sun is shining, the birds are singing and there is a slight feel of the crispness of the fall day on this 3rd Saturday in October! I have my doors and windows wide open! I am loving the freshness and drinking in every last minute of the sun season in preparation for the presence of the impending winds and rain that are so common here in the rain forests of BC.
I looked out my window and was delighted to see flowers still blooming in their planters! My pansies! Their adorable smiling faces are looking back at me, and the hint of the silhouette of an angel painted across their gentle faces make them my most favorite flower!! 
I bounced down the stairs, with papers in hand making my way to the recycling bin. Relishing my rare day off I slowed down my pace walking by several planters and pots.
While experiencing the joy of seeing the flowers bloom or smelling the fragrance of the lavender that gently grows throughout the year, I became aware of thoughts not familiar to my mind!
While my day is delightful, hovering in the background my heart is troubled over some personal issues I am unable to resolve. I looked at the plants that I love and sensed an overwhelming feeling of tiredness. I noticed that one of my planters that is full of beautiful fall pansies bursting out like it’s spring, had weeds hiding in among them. The weeds, while green like the leaves of the flower, were much larger and looked silly to me trying to hide among the beauty. These nasty intruders were clearly trying to hide the fact that their intention was to take over!! Their goal was to choke the life out of the tiny, gentle plants.
Normally it wouldn’t bother me, but with the hard decisions looming before me, I felt myself sigh….”weeding…now”?? “Can’t I just have a plant that doesn’t grow weeds”?
I noticed my chest rising as I paused and took a deep breath. Mixed with emotions, I determined to release my breath slowly while honoring and listening to my thoughts.
In the quietness of this moment I became aware of a still soft voice seeming to appear out of the plants speaking straight to my heart. As weird as it might seem, it was as if the plants whispered (for the record, I don’t believe plants can talk) -“Candace, we are plants, we need food, and water, and feeding and grooming, (weeding)…, why are you surprised at the presences of weeds? Don’t you like the work that comes with us? I also realized that relationships are like plants. They are gentle, easily crushed and come with weeds! Weeds of misunderstanding, judgement, harsh words, neglect and general lack of care, can choke the life out of any relationship. Maybe if we understand that relationships are like yards and gardens, we might approach them more simply and clearly, applying simple acts of tender kindness to help them live healthy- doing our part. Weeds are inevitable, they came with the conditions of the Garden……so I began to understand the lesson here.
I understood that my current weariness was a combination of physical exhaustion due to working two full time jobs for the past month and emotional draining through circumstances not relevant to mention here. I felt so upset with those weeds and it was silly, as I usually don’t mind weeding at all…. I saw that I just didn’t want to do the work. Very simply, if you don’t like the work then don’t have plants”!
Plants, like relationships, take work- so I saw my need to adjust my attitude and take a clue from the plants….. If you don’t want the work then “Live without Plants”!
LJK,
Enjoy your day…. and enjoy your plants!
Candace xxoo
