Quote of the day: “Nature is the direct expression of the divine imagination.” ― John O’Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom
Yesterday, after days of pain and fatigue, I “hit the wall” and fell into frustration and anger. “Why now? Why me? Why? Why? Why?”
Of course there are no answers and we often do not get to understand why. Things happen. Suffering happens. If you look around, you can see people dealing with so many different hardships all the time. In comparison to many around me, my little aches and pains are minor annoyances.
Kicking up my heels at the MN Landscape Arboretum
Minor, and still challenging
I think the thing that tipped me over the edge was the realization that I wasn’t going to have a garden again this year. It completely ticks me off that because of my body’s weird pain episodes, I cannot plan on whether I would be able to plant it, tend it, and harvest it. Just now, I’d not be able to do anything in the garden.
So I gave up my plan to create a raised bed garden and settled for my plant pots in front of the house instead. The cost of building a waist-high garden bed that was protected from deer (a necessity where I live) was more than I thought it was worth.
I briefly considered putting in a 12″ high 4’x4′ raised bed garden. But given that I am currently unable to build or plant the garden and once again considering cost and the need to protect plants from rabbits, squirrels, and deer, it just didn’t seem to make sense.
So I took my “ticked off” self out to the woods for a “state of mind” adjustment.
Tulips in Bloom
The surest way to bounce out of my “poor me” state of mind is to get out into nature. The difficulty is, when I’m in a lot of pain, going for a walk in the woods doesn’t work for me.
Fortunately, one of my favorite nature places, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, lets me soak in the sights, scents, and sounds of nature without a lot of physical effort. I call it my “virtual walk in the woods place.”
Tall maples on the 3-mile drive
The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is one of my favorite places. With it’s many flower gardens, trees, bushes, paths, benches and little hidden nooks, it’s a perfect place to sit or to walk.
I mostly sat yesterday and enjoyed the 3-mile drive through the Arboretum, stopping here and there to find a nice bench to sit on and take a few photos.
There is nothing more healing than spending time soaking up the sights and scents of spring. Each day, the landscape turns a little greener and more flowers bloom.
New leaves, catkins
Ahhh…that’s better
Next time, you’ve got the blues, try taking a walk in the woods, or if necessary, a virtual walk in the woods.
Shadow Play near the ornamental grasses
Garden path
Last year’s ornamental grass
Seeing with a different perspective
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