For the last three years we have let the weeds, heathers and grasses
grow on the front garden and this has caused great consternation and
controversy for neighbours and passers by - it’s a pretty busy road.
There are those who judge us and don’t like it and say in not so many
words, we’ve let the garden go and are basically too lazy to keep it
tidy, and there are those who judge us differently, saying it’s great
and they really enjoy the spectacle.
I have to admit, it was
my wife’s idea to let the garden become a wild flower meadow, and I
felt a bit uneasy about it, because I didn’t want to draw attention to
(myself) and was concerned - as ever - about what other people would say
(and think!) Now I find I like it so much that I feel a sense of ownership of it - all weird I know.
Anyway, this year we reached the point when things were going-over in
the garden, and we were about to do our usual cut-back to some kind of
lawn, when we discovered we had several bees nests on the ground. We had
to be very careful not to disturb them, so ended up using shears and
cutting around them - people must have thought we’d gone bonkers!
For me, the realisation that there is all this beautiful nature going
on naturally, as we allow it to be - we even have a regular visit from a
woodpecker now, who seems to appreciate the wildlife that springs up -
and there is all this stuff I and many others add to it with our minds,
is another reminder of how Mindfulness (when we’re Mindful) can be right
there in front of us in everyday life. When I’m Mindful, I think that’s
as wonderful as nature, and so it should be if we recognise we and it
are all one thing - then there’s no judging, no worrying and no
ownership...... to mention but a few.
So yes, let's appreciate the beauty of nature!
I have to admit, it was my wife’s idea to let the garden become a wild flower meadow, and I felt a bit uneasy about it, because I didn’t want to draw attention to (myself) and was concerned - as ever - about what other people would say (and think!) Now I find I like it so much that I feel a sense of ownership of it - all weird I know.
Anyway, this year we reached the point when things were going-over in the garden, and we were about to do our usual cut-back to some kind of lawn, when we discovered we had several bees nests on the ground. We had to be very careful not to disturb them, so ended up using shears and cutting around them - people must have thought we’d gone bonkers!
For me, the realisation that there is all this beautiful nature going on naturally, as we allow it to be - we even have a regular visit from a woodpecker now, who seems to appreciate the wildlife that springs up - and there is all this stuff I and many others add to it with our minds, is another reminder of how Mindfulness (when we’re Mindful) can be right there in front of us in everyday life. When I’m Mindful, I think that’s as wonderful as nature, and so it should be if we recognise we and it are all one thing - then there’s no judging, no worrying and no ownership...... to mention but a few.
So yes, let's appreciate the beauty of nature!
I'm as weird as you and your wife when it comes to the beauty of what others might call weeds :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Donna good to have your appreciation from America!
ReplyDeleteMother nature really is the ultimate teacher isn't she!
ReplyDeleteI wonder what would happen if we didn't 'cut-back' the weeds in our minds so judgmentally? Might there be some precious bees to pollinate more blooming possibilities?
Sarah (still up with Saul!)