Report From An Opinionated Gardener – May 17
Showers likely. Cloudy with a chance of drizzle. This is how the forecast has been for the last two weeks and continues to read for the next six days. The lilacs and peonies show signs of botrytis, and any annuals I plant just sit and sulk. Who can blame them? The weather sucks.
As I freely, willingly, grumble about this cool, wet growing season, I’m also aware that where I put my attention matters. Absolutely.
Wandering around the web, be it to facebook groups or reading various blogs, I am struck by our collective propensity to complain. I think that talk radio and the internet encourages this somehow.
It’s easy to criticize, of course, and we can quickly draw an audience that feels the same way. Yes! The weather sucks! Substitute what ever word you wish for “weather”, be it the government, our state Senator, school cafeteria lunches, etc…no matter which direction you go, you’ll find agreeable listeners/readers.
Because on one level or another, we’re all discontented. There is always something, or several things, that we can be unhappy about. The question is this: are we well served when that discontent is being continually fueled? Does it move us forward in any way?
The weather sucks, but so what? Are you and I any richer by dwelling on that which we don’t like but can’t change, or are we ultimately better served by focusing on solutions. And if ready answers aren’t immediately at hand, perhaps we need to look more closely toward those things that are beautiful, positive and life affirming?
So I invite you to turn away from the forecast and focus on growth: look at the stylish and magical Jack-in-the-pulpit that is blooming in my garden.
Wow.
