Fall, the time for harvesting what you had sown last spring. A time of plenty, ease and joy. We reap what we sow. So please join me now in a walk to your new garden. We meander down a rock lined path, with smooth stone beneath your bare feet. As you near the area we will be planting you can already smell the rich recently tilled soil. The sun is just rising and the bird song starts the greeting of the day. You come around a corner and notice a few plots have been worked up for you already, they only need your time and thought to get the planting going. There are two plots about the same size, on large plot in the center and a set of rows on the other side.
We will start with one of the smaller plots. As you near it you feel the cool moist soil under your feet, and the smell of the richness of future life is strong. You kneel near the area we are to plant and get a bit of dirt on your knees, no worries, it will brush off when we are done. This plot we will plant Joy. Joy in the simple things in life as well as the more complex. Joy in the sunrise, joy in the bird song, joy in accomplishments of ourselves and others. In order to get the joy to bloom in full ripe rich color we must seed in a little bit of sorrow. Just a bit, it makes the Joy so much sweeter and attractive.
The next plot is right next to the Joy garden. Here we will plant Love. Love grows quite easy when the base is well tilled. All weeds of fear have been removed, all jealousy, envy, and other creeping vines have been removed. This garden will have to be weeded from time to time to keep the love pure. It grows best when it is allowed to be in its purest form. You might need to put up a trellis as love will take over your garden over time. Just make sure all the other things have a chance to grow as well.
We will skip the big plot for now and go right to the dirt that is already in rows. This area is for knowledge; makes sense why it will be planted linearly. As you look down the row you realize you can’t see the end, it just goes and goes. There are no limits. We will companion plant this area with curiosity, to keep the learning fresh and fun. Now and then you will have to weed out apathy and boredom, but not often, they do not grow well when you seek to learn more about your life and world on a continuing basis.
Now to the larger plot, this one will take some time. Here we are planting Grace. It is something many people forget, but its importance shouldn’t be overshadowed by any of the other things planted in our garden. What good is it to have all these wonderful things if you aren’t sharing them with others. What good is it to Love if you don’t grace others with that love. What good is it to have Joy if you don’t share it. What is the point of knowledge if you hold it all within you. We are in perpetual Grace by the Love of God. It is from that love we are able to share our grace with others. Grace is a soul-thrilling concept; it must be deeply appreciated, but never manipulated or distorted. Grace simply means to Do honor or credit to (someone or something) by one's presence. To live life to be an example. This is huge and why this part of our garden so big. It’s a constant reminder of why we are here.
Everything is planted, and you turn to see a water hose next to a spigot. You turn it on and realize there is no spray nozzle, you have to put your thumb over the opening to make it spray, you put it to the left a little and get your feet a little wet, then you to the right but it just isn’t spraying quite right, so you seek the middle and get that softer spray and water your garden. Now the rich dirt smells even stronger, you can almost feel the seed taking hold. You will have to tend this garden often, to keep the weeds out and to put water and energy into the growing of the wonderful things you have planted here.
As you stand there musing over what you have accomplished you see a ring of trees in the distance, and in between two of them near the center of the ring you see a big pile of leaves. A huge pile. A smile flits across your face, yes, yes you have to do this. And you take a couple of skip type steps before you break out into a full run. You go through the trees to the center of the circle, you forgot how good it feels to run with wild abandon, and as you near the pile you leap! Do a half turn in the air, and land on your back in the billowy softness of this great pile of leaves. Just as you land a small gust of wind comes up and picks up the leaves you have displaced and they float all around you. Its silly, it fixes nothing, makes nothing better, adds no positive aspect to the world but one. It brings you JOY! You lay there for a moment catching your breath and looking up at the vastness of the sky. As you roll around trying to get off the pile you hear the crunch of the leaves below you. More joy, this is better than bubble wrap.
Finally you get up and head back to your garden. The sun has come up enough to catch the droplets of water, and it looks like shining crystals on your new garden. The energy of growth is magical, and there is nothing that feels like it.
It is time to leave your garden, but you must come back often to tend it. The things you have growing here are necessary for your survival.
Before you open your eyes, remember the unencumbered joy of the leaf pile, bring that with you!
