You're the Gardener

"Il faut cultiver notre jardin." - Voltaire

I think I was all of 16 years old when I first read Voltaire's Candide. Although I can't remember if this was the last line of the book, I feel like it was. These words, this advice, spoke to my essential soul self and made me feel connected to my life's purpose. I relished thinking that it was up to me to make my garden grow and thrive.

My vocation, my calling, even my peapod logo are ALL about tending to my own and others' gardens. And so, when I came across the quotation below -

"If you want happiness to bloom within you...simply water the seeds." - Thich Nhat Hanh

(despite the fact that it was tucked into some kind of spirituality and health advertisement and disguised as junk mail) - the words jumped out and danced in front of me. Yes, we are all in charge of planting and watering our seeds of happiness. There's no blame or shame involved if you haven't been able to plant these seeds for awhile, let alone water them.

It's time to pay attention to what you're doing when you feel happy. (Even if it's just a little smile that crosses your lips as you watch someone else doing something that makes him or her happy.)

Together, we'll get my big ol' watering can, fill it to the brim, and start nurturing away. Come on! What are you waiting for?

- ARC

Don't Let AWFL Feelings Lead The Way

"Anger, Worry, Frustration, and Loss - these things make you lose control of yourself and your surroundings." - Séarlait Coffey, eight years old.

What follows is Séarlait's wisdom in dealing with me, her Mama, who ain't never claimed to be perfect.

"This is how you handle AWFL feelings. If you cannot control AWFL feelings you will lose yourself in your body and lose control of yourself. When my Mom is feeling uncertain of herself and is losing control and is feeling frustrated, I take her hands in mine and I tell her that this happens to me a lot too. And all you have to do is take somebody's hands in yours and their hands will tell you a lot about how they are feeling. Sometimes you need to take 3, 5, or 10 slow, calm breaths and if you really concentrate, you'll probably start to feel calm. This is how you handle AWFL. Don't let AWFL lead the way."

Whether you have a fiery temper, an anxious need to know what's coming down the pike, can no longer deal with yourself or the fact that you have not accomplished what you want to, or are still grieving the loss of a person, pet, dream, capability, or a part of yourself that used to thrive, I will welcome your expressions of these AWFL feelings. I will encourage you to find compassion for yourself and to discover which feelings and actions you want to nurture to continue becoming the person you'd like to be.

- ARC