In this guest post, Gifford Volunteer Chaplain Kathy Rohloff shares her personal reflections on lessons learned in the garden. Kathy and all of our volunteer chaplains offer a nonsectarian presence. If you need someone to listen, and hear you with compassion, you can reach them by calling the Rev. Tim Eberhardt at 802-728-2107.
By Kathy Rohloff
Just last week the brush pile was reduced to ash, blueberry bushes were pruned, crocus and daffodil tops began to push through the earth, and my gardening heart beat just a bit faster with anticipation of the beauty to come.
But all of that beauty is the result of 25-plus years of an intensive labor of love and diligence that is reflected in the 20 flower beds that adorn our half acre.
The average flower may bloom for two weeks; a few last for a month. Yet, in that brief amount of time, they display great beauty and fragrance. And all of the weeding and dividing and care is absolutely worth each bloom.
Gardening teaches me lessons each day. Some I relearn and others I experience for the first time.
Today I keep thinking about the fragility of flowers and their strength.
A late snowstorm can bury early bulbs, and their response is to use that as nitrogen to fertilize their roots. They bloom despite rocks and weeds and poor sunlight. They find a way to present the best of what they are for anyone to enjoy.
When we see the bloom of a flower, we are seeing the result of care and nourishment that has taken place out of sight, in the roots and bulbs that are the soul of the plant. The result is always beautiful.
What if we all took the same time to work on those hidden parts of our souls? What would we look like if we, as caregivers, allowed the storms and obstacles we face to make us better, not bitter? How much good would be accomplished if we all chose to be our best selves at all times, in all situations, to all people?
Soul work happens in the quiet of our hearts, perhaps in the early morning hours or during sleepless nights. It happens when we have a great partner or friend or even a counselor who can help us confront and face the broken places in our lives.
And then we bloom!
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