The Grass Is Greener Where You Water It!
I took a friend to a beautiful, garden/ nature habitat near my home. It was filled with lots of exotic orchids and plants. The grounds were stunning. We were having a lovely day when she remarked, “I wish my place looked like this!”
Well, if there is anything I’ve learned from digging in the dirt, it’s this:
Gorgeous yards and serene gardens don’t just happen. They are nurtured and cultivated over time with soil and plants fed by years of careful attention. While it’s easy to eye up other gardens and assume they were effortless, that’s rarely the case. They are mirror reflections of the time and energy that was put into them. Is it possible that we get so distracted by wishing, hoping, and dreaming about what’s happening on “the other side” that we don’t even bother to water what’s struggling to grow right in front of us?
This idea really applies to so many areas of our lives.
I can’t tell you how many times budding artists have asked me how I got to wear I am today. As I show them the callouses on my hands, and paint on just about everything I own, they seem puzzled and confused and sometime a bit skeptical that I haven’t offered up a magical answer to instantly launch them onto fame and success. They don’t want to hear about the dozens of art shows I set up and tore down in torrential Florida pours. They don’t want to hear that after working five 10 hr days, I’d then head off to a art show or convention so I could make enough money to meet payroll the next week. I feel extremely blessed to have my business where it is today. But I have tilled it and worked it hard.
I’m not telling you this to brag! Yikes.
Not my Point at all. My point is that nothing is as easy, effortless or glamorous as social media makes it seem. No one really has a perfectly spotless, all white home, ready for a photo shoot at a minutes notice, while at the same time raising five kids, two dogs and peacock. As my dear friend Carl Crowell says, “No one is as interesting as they pretend to be on Facebook!” (Thanks, Carl!)
Now, I’m getting ready to head off in a new direction.
I know I’m wacky, but I’m ready for a new challenge. Actually it’s not just one challenge, but two, and I can’t wait to launch them both this October. IN the meantime I’m working more hours than I ever dreamed at this age of my life. And trying to do this all during this Crazy Covid Chaos. However I learned how to “plant and weed” my garden of a business and ready for whats ahead.
Maybe it’s time for us all to roll up our sleeves and get a little dirt under our nails.
There has never been a time in the last 50 years like what we are all experiencing now. Many of us are learning to reinvent ourselves and plant new seeds. Let’s invest the time and energy to cultivate the richness and opportunities for growth that are all around us and spread those seeds out to our families, our communities, and the world.
Join me and let’s plant trees of greatness and splendor…
…even if we won’t be around to enjoy their shade. The truth is if we devote ourselves completely to tending our patch of grass, we will have no time to worry if someone else’s is greener. So plant some dreams, pull the weeds, and grow your happy life!
What kind of seeds are you thinking of planting.
