Going To A Garden Party

This is not my last post, but it will be the last one that I have done for  forty days in a row.  I picked a picture and wrote some paragraphs each day.  It helped me organize in my head with all of the positives of the pandemic.  How it effected me.  And, how in the past, something negative I went through ended up beneficial in some way.  It brought me hope.  And, the best thing I have learned in the last ten years is not to be afraid of the future and the unknown.

Sometimes, it helps me to visualize or compare life to something to make it seem not so bad.  My mind used to be full of worry and what ifs.  Naturally, ten years ago I began to blog and loved having this whole process of growth documented.  Then meditation entered my life and brings the practice of  writing daily keeping my mind full of positiveness and hope.  Then the world around me for the first time ever, is going through a struggle.  And, there is an abundance of virtual experiences to help us cope.  

When I went to Vermont for retail training at April Cornell this past February, we were each discussing our stores.  And, as each one of us spoke and we started comparing our stores to being like gardens.  We each had different environments, climates and demographics. But, our goals of finding ways for new growth were the same.  As we talked, I became more and more excited to look at our store that way and how we were going to make our business grow.

So, in a sense I am doing the same thing now at home.  Each day, I woke up with a purpose.  It may have been a creative project, planting a garden, setting a table, planning dinner, weeding through all the paperwork,  donating unwanted clothes or just plain resting watching mindless TV.  It all was a time to plant seeds.  It gave me the time to organize my house to what is important being in a place where I can see it. All with the plan of it being  pleasing to the eye.  Just like planting a garden.  And, then luckily it is Springtime, so there is an overall feeling of more lightness and brightness.  

I am truly thankful that with all the bad news and the personal loss I went through, it wasn't a dark time.  And, as I wrote about rainbows, I didn't see one.  But, with Facebook there were numerous friends and family out taking pictures and sharing.   

I can not wait to see what this summer brings.  I just know we will hear every bird chirp louder, every  color will seem brighter (the grass does look the most beautiful green this year),  and every sky will be bluer.  And, we will be ready every day to appreciate all the sunrises and sunsets in a whole new way.  Cheers!  Bring on the new normal!

Quote of the Day:  “Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.”

Luther Burbank

Song of the Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrdEMERq8MA  Bright Side of Life by Monty Python for Spamelot