Nothing has
brought home the significance of my move back to country life more than
the weather. Between the record-breaking cold and the endless snowfall of this
past winter, followed by so much spring and summer rain that we are constantly
on flood watch, it has been quite a homecoming. Couple that with finally having
a real garden again only to have my hands tied every few days by all this rain,
and it is no wonder that when I have a moisture-free day, I waste no time in
pulling on the gloves and going out to pull the weeds that are the only things
enjoying this weather!
Outside
where the blacktop of the driveway meets the cement of the entrance to my
place, a wide crack has opened up due to the intense cold we had this winter and
the massive amounts of snow and ice that kept dripping off the overhang above
the doorway. While we wait for suitable weather for that to be repaired, a mass
of green sprang up in that crack until it took on a life of its own. From
beneath the concrete, blacktop and stone came clover, dandelions, grass, and a
vast array of wild-growing things I didn’t even recognize. I have to admit that
I admired the tenacity of Mother Earth and her plant children to plug away
under that concrete patiently waiting for the opening they needed to push
through. Alas, they eventually grew big enough that I was stepping over them
carrying the groceries in, which meant that they would have to go before I or
someone else got a sandal caught in them and took a tumble. So I waited for a
dry morning and went out to perform the sad deed. What I found when I pulled up
the plants by their roots was a whole other world. Worms, beetles, bugs of all
shapes, sizes and colors started to scatter, some moving up and out in search
of greener pastures and some digging deeper into the sodden soil. You just
never know what lies beneath until you pull the weeds out of the way to get a
better look.
The same is
true of our lives. Sometimes the storms of simply living leave a lasting
impression, and around and in that impression it’s easy to let limiting beliefs
and untruths take root. If we’re not careful, they will grow so big that they
trip us up and make our path difficult to travel. However, if we take the time
to clear out those limiting beliefs and look at what lies beneath, we will be
amazed at what we find: new ideas, new perceptions, new experiences, and a
whole new appreciation for life. Even if we have experienced what feels like an
endless winter of pain and heartache, if we dig deep enough, there is always a
new life waiting for us to come out of the hole and set out on a new path.
I have to
admit that I will almost miss that crack in the pavement when it is finally
filled in. Every day when I go outside I look down to see which of my little
crawling neighbors is at home and bid them good morning. I know, though, that
even when I can no longer see them, they will still be there, patiently waiting
for their next opportunity to burst through and thrive.
And so it
is.
