I was reading the other day about gardening and they quoted a woman who said that gardening is "incredibly messy, ruins your hands, wears holes in the knees of your jeans, ends up costing 40 times more than you think it will, sucks up whole weekends in a single gulp, takes over your dreams, and frequently breaks your heart." With such a bleak outlook, who would even hazard an attempt at gardening? Probably those who love to eat cherry tomatoes right off the vine, still warm from the sun. Or those who love the smell of fresh mint in the evening. Perhaps those who find it hugely therapeutic to let their minds wander as they pull weeds, or who pore over gardening magazines and newspaper articles about heirloom tomatoes even when they haven't a square inch of land to cultivate (that would be me). I can sympathize with the woman who was quoted above because gardening can certainly do and be all of those things. But I love it anyway. And I guess if you want to experience those earthy, soul-stirring joys like those that come from seeing the contrasting color of a row of sprouting bean plants against moist, black earth, hearing a baby laugh, or a child say "I love you," you have to roll up your sleeves and really get in there, regardless of what may happen to your jeans.
3 comments:
Very inspiring!
Amen! I'm about to pack up two active little boys (one who is very cranky) for the sheer delight of getting my hands grubby in the dirt. It's all about the fun of seeing things grow, playing in the dirt with your kids, and having beautiful flowers and produce you grew yourself-ususally in spite of your best efforts.
that lady must have seen the basil we're trying to grow on our patio right now! I dreamt of fresh leaves on our pizza, but something is eating it to shreds... bummer. But the delicious tomatoes sure make up for it- yum yum.
Post a Comment