How does your garden grow this summer? For some of us our gardens have been full of exuberant life, with children popping in and out to surprise and provoke us into laughter. For some of us our gardens have been watered with our tears as we have learned to cope with loss and grief. Some of us we are learning to release ourselves from regret, bury the past, and move into the future with new wisdom, new hope, and possibility. Some plants take a very long time to germinate from seed to productive plant, poblano peppers for example. However the result Is worth the wait for the peppery delight!
I hope summer is teaching you to be gentle with yourselves, to forgive yourselves for the past. As we move into the harvest, may we remember that we ourselves have been seeds of blessing — though often we did not notice at the time — and that we continue to be important to others. God sees the best in us always: sees us as students of life, learning to be loving, forgiving, wise. We need to tell each other our stories because we have all both made mistakes and been blessings, too.
For a garden meditation, think of your regrets and put them in an envelope and bury them in the garden where they may become wildflowers. Take your blessings and display them in your heart like whirligigs and giant lilies and corn stalks waving in the breeze. Allow yourself to feel love and delight as the Creator embraces you and washes away your tears, preparing you for joy that will be a surprise and the fulfillment of a promise.