Earlier this week I spent a couple of hours clearing out my yard. For a long while I wanted to live in a little house with a big yard, and I'm happy to say that this is what I now have: a little house with a BIG yard (close to 1/4 acre)! Luckily the yard is fenced in the middle so I have a manageable lawn area and then a back lot that is allowed to maintain a more "natural" state. I try to keep it somewhat clear but this summer I've been busy doing other fun, outside things so I've let it run free. And boy has it!
Today I decided it was time to clean up some of it, so I took my shears and my shovel and spent the better part of an afternoon digging up weeds, some of which were as tall me (which is pretty tall for a weed!) and pulling thorny vines, lots and lots of thorny vines.
As I dug and pulled, I contemplated the condition of my own soul, which I sometimes liken to a garden. Depending on how well I tend to it determines whether I have a well-landscaped, fertile groundscape or a weedy, thorny field.
I feel like I've spent a lot of time in my life clearing the landscape and laying down healthy soil, so that healing trees can grow tall and healthy, bearing fruits of love, joy, peace and abundance. Still, there are places where thorny bramblebushes of fear, pride and self-doubt grow up and try to choke out the healthy trees.
I've often remarked that, as I've been going through my life coach training, I have cleared out the surface weeds and begun to "dig deep" at the deepest, oldest, thorniest roots in my garden. Those that would, if unchecked, choke out the healthy trees and shroud my garden in shadow and fear. I've kept them clipped pretty well but lately I've been digging, slowly loosening the soil surrounding the roots, and eventually, in some cases, reaching down and pulling up the roots. Sometimes I grab a thorn and "wow" it can hurt, but when it finally gets cleared out, its absence creates more room for healthy plants to grow!
I'm happy that these days, the garden of my soul is looking good. I'll keep tending to it, and my back yard too!
Today I decided it was time to clean up some of it, so I took my shears and my shovel and spent the better part of an afternoon digging up weeds, some of which were as tall me (which is pretty tall for a weed!) and pulling thorny vines, lots and lots of thorny vines.
As I dug and pulled, I contemplated the condition of my own soul, which I sometimes liken to a garden. Depending on how well I tend to it determines whether I have a well-landscaped, fertile groundscape or a weedy, thorny field.
I feel like I've spent a lot of time in my life clearing the landscape and laying down healthy soil, so that healing trees can grow tall and healthy, bearing fruits of love, joy, peace and abundance. Still, there are places where thorny bramblebushes of fear, pride and self-doubt grow up and try to choke out the healthy trees.
I've often remarked that, as I've been going through my life coach training, I have cleared out the surface weeds and begun to "dig deep" at the deepest, oldest, thorniest roots in my garden. Those that would, if unchecked, choke out the healthy trees and shroud my garden in shadow and fear. I've kept them clipped pretty well but lately I've been digging, slowly loosening the soil surrounding the roots, and eventually, in some cases, reaching down and pulling up the roots. Sometimes I grab a thorn and "wow" it can hurt, but when it finally gets cleared out, its absence creates more room for healthy plants to grow!
I'm happy that these days, the garden of my soul is looking good. I'll keep tending to it, and my back yard too!
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