Diary of a Gardener Gratitude
Gratitude is one of life’s most underutilized tools. Having gratitude for simply the air we breathe helps us focus on the good in our life’s vs everyday stresses. There was a time in my life I had a gratitude journal, but like all other attempts at journaling it went by the waste side and an 80% empty journal laid on my desk. It spoke to me more of disappointment in my lack of use than it did of being grateful I had a desk to have a journal on. So, I no longer write down my gratefulness, but I do think of them daily and voice them either to specific people or publicly.
Waking up in the morning and being grateful for another day, a cool house, a cup of coffee, time, a job, a car, etc. is one of the best ways to clear the head for the day ahead before all the stresses and disappointments of life start piling in. I cannot say it is a conscious choice, but I try to be grateful for people, things, etc. all the time, not just to start my mornings. If you think about a chain reaction of events, you cannot help but be grateful for all those in your pathway who have helped make you the person you are today. Because of one person, you met another, and that person put you in the pathway of another and another. Opportunities arise, business transactions are met, friends are made. The list goes on, but it all started with one person in one specific spot in time. It can really be that easy. And for that person, you are grateful.
Gardening and plants can help teach us gratitude. Plants, in many ways, bring us closer to other people. Despite my introverted and reclusive nature, my garden brings people into my life. People stop by to admire my garden. Customers purchase plants from me. Clients trust me with their landscaping choices because they trust I know plants. It allows me to make new friends. The list can go on.
Plants teach us patience and with patience we learn more not only about the plant but about ourselves. We step back and assess a situation and often find the worry and stress over something is not particularly that bad. And yet again, I am grateful for the opportunity. In the past when something did go sideways, I would step back and dissect where the problem went wrong. At the end I was grateful for the lesson. The same can be applied to our gardens. When you step back and look at a garden, it is a series of tests and trials. It is lesson after lesson and when you see the big picture and finally get it right, you can be grateful for the lessons your garden taught you along the way.
Today, I am grateful for all the people who stopped by my plant sale and purchased plants from me. Many are people I had never met; others are repeat customers, some were friends, and some were clients. Each one meant something to me. When you support a small business in your local area, you are giving them your support, your seal of approval, your loyalty. You trust that business with your money and your time. It sounds so simple, but in a world of big business it really does weigh heavily. So, thank you! I am grateful you accepted my invitation, read my emails, or follow me on social media. Thank you for coming out in the heat and wanting to spread the joy of plants to others. Thank you.
