Of bees and gardens
When I moved into my home in Berkhamsted, the garden had been neglected. I set about clearing and replanting as soon as the last box was unpacked. Now, after four years the garden has grown into a place of vibrant diversity. Every Spring day brings with it the joy of a new flower opening, a delicate seed sprouting and the glimpses of harvest to come in the tender swelling of fruit.
This year, most of all I, am awed at the hum of bees as they bumble from blossom to bloom. Their rare song has now become a throng as this once bare patch now displays its maturity, providing these diligent honey maker pollinators with a feast of floral pleasure.
The Art of Pootling
I too find myself drawn to be out in the garden whenever possible, pootling away at the various activities it offers or just sitting in the dappled shade of the Grandfather apple with a cup of tea.
It brings me such delight.
My work in the garden is not a chore, but a devotion.
I have learnt that each small task brings forth such abundance on so many levels. It restores my faith in goodness. It demonstrates the largess of life. It allows me to acknowledge the sure cycle of the seasons and the gifts each one brings.
The garden has taught me to bring that same devotion into everything I do.
When I mop the floor, speak with a friend, make coffee or give a treatment, my intention is to offer myself, my attention, my care and my faith to the task at hand.
I view my work as love in action.
No matter how mundane or magnificent, the life that flows within me and through me is given with a sense of gratitude in loving kindness for whatever is calling me.
And then, there are those times when I am ploughing through a list, chained to my work as if it were a punishment, forgetting the blessings of being alive.
Doing and Being
I am a human doing instead of a human being.
And then I remember, either through discomfort or a flirtation from the world, that there is more to task than just getting it done.
When I savour my work again, my world explodes with colour, fragrance and rich experience. I love my life, the place I am in and what I am doing in the world.
Work as Love in Action, it’s the way to be.