Report From PIA – March 29
It rained for much of the day here in eastern Massachusetts. The local news warns people who live in flood plains to be ready to evacuate their homes. The soil is fully saturated, so the rainfall won’t be able to soak into the ground.
It rained about a week ago, and at Poison Ivy Acres we received two and a quarter inches. In the summertime this wouldn’t leave the soils so wet, because the plants would be actively growing. The roots would be drawing that water out of the ground, using it for photosynthesis, and releasing the excess into the air through the stomata in their leaves. This whole process keeps the plants growing and moves water out of the soil and back into the air.
At the end of March, however, the deciduous plants haven’t broken dormancy so they have no foliage and the evergreens are still dormant. Most of last week’s rainfall is still in the ground.
I’m thinking that we humans can be over-saturated as well and need a way to release what has built up in our lives. Be it joy or sorrow, when we’re filled up we need a means of letting go. Some people turn to creating music, poetry or art in these times. Some plant gardens. When we’re so filled up with delight or despair that we need to touch something larger than ourselves, we talk to friends and family, or turn to God in prayer.
This reminds me of Anne Lamott who wrote that she knows two prayers well: “Help me, help me, help me,” and “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” These prayers stem from being completely inundated with anguish or happiness, and we can all relate.
There are times when we’re totally saturated, and need something, someone, or God to take the excess up.