Hello sweet friends! I am thinking of everyone and wishing you all well. Sweet Guy is home from school and we have been working on several projects. After a week of overcast skies and rain, it was time to get outside. How Does Your Garden Grow?
How Does Your Garden Grow?
I think many people are struggling right now. While I am committed to focusing on the positive I will admit that I was pretty low earlier this week.
I felt sorrow with my son possibly missing all of his Senior year milestones, Mr. Decor is still not feeling well since his release from the hospital last week, and the Fashionista continues to struggle in the aftermath of the Nashville tornado. In such times as these I wish she didn’t live 12 hours away.
I decided it was time to take my troubles for a good old fashioned wallow.
Wallow: to lie or roll around slowly in deep, wet earth.
It was 3 pm and I was still in my pajamas. I didn’t care. I didn’t put on pants. I just put on my boots and angrily walked outside.
A Time Limit
I soon found the perfect place for my aggression. The flower bed next to the shed. It had been neglected all winter and was choked with weeds.
So I dug in and pulled. For three hours.
For three hours I allowed myself to be angry.
I allowed myself to be sad.
For three hours I might have yelled at God a bit.
I became absolutely filthy.
Completely covered in mud.
My gardening companion was never far from my side. If you watched this clip of Gracie planting flowers then you know I couldn’t help but smile now and again.
After three hours I was exhausted.
But I felt a little less angry.
After three hours I felt a little less overwhelmed.
I also felt a little less sad.
I had overcome the weeds and so much more.
Believe In The Promise
After three hours I uncovered a promise.
I thought I had lost my prized peony earlier this year in a storm.
But she was just buried and needed a release.
I decided to believe in the promise.
Spring IS coming.
I just need to plant the seeds and have faith.
As I hosed myself off I felt the anger rinsing away.
After a good long soak in the tub, I didn’t feel quite so overwhelmed.
A bit of sadness was still there. But that’s ok. It’s good to feel it.
You need the sad to recognize happy.
I dried off and got dressed.
Then, I went on my daily walk to check on my neighbors.
I felt… a bit better.
There are still several other flower beds I can work on if it gets too much again.
Because you can still find beautiful blooms amongst the weeds.
Keep blooming friends.
Laura
Thank you Laura!!
i have no flower beds to weed
i’m in a new apartment with boxes stacked to the ceiling..
i’m overwhelmed!
But, the sky is blue, with sun shining,,
the few remaining Oaks have new leaves..
the grass is greening..
Life does go on despite the current obstacles..
and i do Believe!!!
Sweet post, Miss Laura!
We all need to wallow. It’s how long that we wallow that separates the hogs from the pink piglets! Well done, my friend. You channeled that energy, anger, frustration into something positive — and found a peony surprise along the way. Well done.
Thank you for the story and those cute pictures to accompany it. I really needed that today. I consider myself to be a positive thinker as well. But today was such a melancholy day and I couldn’t snap out of it. You don’t realize when you have seclusion and freedom is taken away how much of an impact it has on your soul. I’m going to read this again. I appreciate your blogs and you! Thank you, Cindy ::)
Someone on Facebook said she “rage cleaned.” These are hard times in many ways, and I feel for those who had special things coming up that have been or may well be cancelled. We don’t always know why God allows things to happen as they do, but He gives grace and His presence in all He allows.
Wallowing has its purpose, just as you found. I think it allows you time to gain perspective and resolve. We will all rise up! Hugs to you all ❤️
Ann
Thank you for getting down to the bare tacks Laura! I love it how you chose to tackle your flower garden by pulling weeds, which also help get the weeds out of your soul. Even though we hardly see each other, it is so nice to “talk” with you over your posts.
Also, I don’t know if I had mentioned it before, but the sweet little girl statue of her holding her dress (the one you posted on FB). Is that from your home? My mom had one just like it when I was little and my sister and I loved to put “flowers” (weeds) in her dress. What a sweet memory you gave me! Sending you love and hugs,
Georgeann
Glad you are working through your anger. This is a tough time that we all are in together. May God continue to strengthen our faith and comfort us in our sorrow about things lost during this time.
Oh, Laura, you did an AMAZING job! And how exciting to find the peony! That’s a silver lining if ever I saw one!