The Splendor of a Garden

          We are the gardener of our garden called life. As a gardener we can be kind, nurturing, gentle, protective, and somewhat devoted but we can also be ignorant, careless, blind, and negligent. Without the help of the Master Gardener we remain ignorant, careless, etc... Without the assistance of the Master Gardener we stay oblivious to the purpose or necessity of our garden. Part of our garden feeds us; gives us the sustenance we need to properly and wisely take care of our garden. Other parts of the garden gives us fulfillment, pleasure, and the satisfaction of taking care of something, knowing that we’re needed and being appreciated for the care we give. Each part of the garden is connected and interwoven. The care or lack of care we give to one part can affect the other parts. Some parts of our garden goes uncultivated, undeveloped, neglected, and or improperly cared for.

          When we seek companionship, we invite others into our garden. We all compare our gardens, making observations, taking or gathering in information, taking a whiff of the fragrance, aroma, odor, or scent other gardens emanate. Observing its order, its ciaos, its growth, and or its potential. And though the gardener may be suited for a simple, minuscule gardening task, he may not be suited to take on a more complicated, complex task. The potential inside of us is always attracted to gardens that have been better kept, properly tilled, and the choice of seeds planted in its garden. We are sometimes amazed by the floral décor we’ve seen planted in the gardens of others and sometimes we are left in disgust at the sight of a garden that’s overgrown with weeds and poisonous plants that chokes the life of the gardener and anyone who comes into it.

       Some gardeners have been very successful at maintaining their garden. Doesn’t mean that their garden is perfect, that it needs no attention, replanting, fertilizing, or watering etc….It means that this gardener has done his best at utilizing the tools he was given and has a somewhat productive garden. And though most gardens have the potential to grow no matter how productive or unproductive, some gardeners become, satisfied or complacent with its current productivity. They compare their garden with others and they say it’s better than a whole bunch of other gardens. They notice other gardens and gardeners who have cultivated a similar level of success and they are gratified by the feeling of achievement and opportunity to share in that success. And because the other gardeners have become content, complacent, or lazy they are sometimes unchallenged to reach for any thing greater than what they see with their natural eyes.

        And then we meet someone that wants to plant themselves in our garden or perhaps just visit. Depending on what kind of gardener they are, they can bring order or ciaos to our garden but sometimes they bring exactly what we need to dream again; to cause us to see beyond our current level of success and drop some gardening tips. They can show us what we’ve been doing right and what we’ve been doing wrong. They may even point out to us what needs to be uprooted, or pruned; what needs more attention. We may want them to fulfill one purpose but they may be there to fulfill another.

          I met a guy who wanted to cherish me and plant me in his garden. But while some parts of his garden was sufficient (his kind hearted nature and good stable job) other parts were over grown (disorderly children and the drama that goes with it), and choking the life out of him. For me to allow myself to be planted there would easily suggest that I would have my neck squeezed. This affected him, emotionally and financially and it stunted his growth. His mind was foggy from the hallucinatory mushrooms he had growing in his garden (vices-drinking, smoking), He was distracted by the ciaos from the seeds (children) he produced. They stole his time, money, mental clarity and desire to live and dream more abundantly. He associated himself with other gardeners whose gardens were similar to his. He was not accustom to planting the kind of seeds in his garden that would give him the sustenance he needed to properly and wisely take care of his garden. Then he met me. He wanted to plant me in his garden; he wanted me to stay…even the night. It was obvious to me that he had some of the tools he needed: he was kind, gentle, sweet, protecting, somewhat tempered, and giving. And though he was suited for a simple, minuscule task (sex/love/affection) it wasn’t enough for me, the more complex, complicated gardener. In no way was I suggesting my garden was perfect and needed no work, it was just that he had too much ciaos in his to help me with mine, but I could help him with his, as long as I wasn’t selfish. I wanted to take the high road; forgetting about my carnal desires or satisfying an itch. But offer him the kind of care the Master Gardner would. This would require on my part self control and compassion. I could offer him some gardening tips but nothing more.

          Then there was this other guy. I had invited him to visit my garden. I was transparent; I had nothing to hide and no desire for artificial flowers (false pretenses). It was so much easier to be honest about what was growing in my garden, especially because I was genuinely interested in doing what was necessary for it to be as fulfilling and productive as possible. I was somewhat content with my garden though never satisfied. I tried to show around my entire garden and explain to him the toil behind what had been cultivated and the truth about the neglected and unproductive parts of it but he only seemed to be interested in my calla lilies. I could see he had potential. But I’ve learned from past experience to not get caught up in potential. I really wanted to see what he’d done with the rest of his garden but I was never allowed into the inner court of it. I could only think he had something to hide. His inner court was surrounded by a brick wall that made it impossible for me to smell, see or touch whatever he had growing in it. I wondered, what type of people he allowed in there. I don’t think living in the same state would permit me to find that out. 

          Though he welcomed me into what I call a lounging area of his outer court. From time to time he would give me snapshots and superficial conversation about the rest of his garden but never was I invited to experience it firsthand, up close and personal. He was clearly interested in me fulfilling simple, minuscule tasks outside his inner court, in that lounging area that was filled with bouquets of what ifs, sensuous smells of deception and floral aroma’s of debauchery like bliss. What was he hiding, would he ever tear those walls down, would he ever invite me into the inner court of his garden, what would I find upon my arrival, would it be a visit or would I run away never to return? His outer court was very beautiful, attractive, captivating and alluring. It would make any woman want to know or see what the inner court was like. Was he being cautious, had he experienced the degradation of planting the wrong people in it?