Some things in life I can’t change. Oh, I would like to change them, but they seem far beyond my reach. However, there are things I can change! My back yard, for instance. During the early spring when many people were shaping up their yards and gardens, I was sitting at my computer, busily editing the Darcy/Flora cozy mystery series, or working on the assignment for a Christian publisher. My writing taken care of, I looked around at my yard. Oh, my! We’ve been blessed with plentiful rain and the grass, flowers, trees, and weeds loved it! My back yard looked like a jungle. So, little by little, I’ve been reclaiming it as my own, not belonging to the wilderness.
Yesterday, I cut limbs and vines and stacked them by the curb, ready for the city to pick up. Today, I need to do more of the same, plus invade the over-grown area I fondly call my herb garden. Down among the grass and weeds, are some die-hard herbs. I’m convinced of it. I remember seeing them in times past. I just have to find them.
My four o’clocks by the back fence have bravely pushed their way past the grass. But, they’d look a lot better if I gave them more room. And, they would reward me with a wonderful fragrance, come nightfall. Neither Peg nor I have sunflowers this year. One year, I had several lovely sunflowers from seeds dropped by birds. In her yard, she planted some on purpose. But, those pretty yellow flowers don’t grace our yards this year, either accidentally or on purpose.
My mom used to have African violets sitting on the windowsills in her kitchen. I had them for a while too, but eventually, they all died. So, when I noticed a poor, struggling violet in the store a couple of days ago, I simply had to buy it and bring it home. It looked pretty sad, kind of droopy, fatigued. It had been a hard summer for that little plant. It seems to like it on my north window ledge above the sink. I hope it lives.
So, with my two hands, I’m taking hold of the things that I can change. Perhaps it isn’t much, but it is wonderful therapy. It’s therapy that comes with attached blessings, the very best kind.
“The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces” (Proverbs 30:28).
Speak Your Mind