This is the time of year when tending to my seedlings takes up so much time – while also giving me so much pleasure – it really is – a labour of love.

But I find it so rewarding – as I nurture those tiny seedlings – seeing them sprout into healthy plants – I feel as though I have been given a front seat – to the miracle of life.

As the days lengthen – and the sun brings forth more warmth – I witness each stage of growth.

But – “Growth takes time – you don’t plant a seed and expect fruit overnight. Progress is quiet – change is slow – but with patience and care – transformation comes. Keep watering your dreams – the harvest will be worth it”.

I admit to being impatient – I do want things to happen quickly – but the reality is that most things in life need time.

Someone put it this way – “You can’t force a plant to bloom – it has a cycle. You have to tend it and care for it – and wait for the bloom to happen. If you don’t take care of it – it dies. The more experiences you have like this – the more you begin to understand your own cycle”

I constantly learn so many lessons from nature – and in tending my seedlings and plants – I can see parallels in my life.

To quote – “To achieve your goals – you need to focus on self-growth. You can only reap the fruits – if you nourish the plant”.

Over time – many seeds have been planted in my life – but – not all of them have grown – it really does depend on how much I tend and nourish them. When I neglect giving attention to those new thoughts and ideas – I risk them simply fading away and dying.

I have also found – that from time to time – it’s been necessary to uproot some of the things that grow in my life – just as it’s sometimes necessary to do so in my garden.

I like the way it’s put here – “A man asked his gardener why his plants grew so wonderfully – the gardener said – I don’t force them to grow – I remove what stops them” .

That quote carries a great truth for me – and one that is not always obvious – or even easy to do.

In order for me to grow new ‘seeds’ – and see new ‘plants’ – grow in my life – I have to recognise – that not all things are helpful for that growth to occur. That sometimes – old growth gets in the way – or even – new shoots appear – that are not helpful.

I need to take responsibility for myself – for I am the – ‘gardener of my own soul’ – and – as I tend the seeds and plants in my garden – so I learn the lessons from nature.

‘Tend it – to grow it’ – and if I do so – continued growth will be mine – both for myself – and others – to benefit from.

Blessings – Lois