Spring into Growth- You and the Earth

My mother Mary planting flowers by a local Virginia highway

 

The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it,

the world, and all of its people.

Psalms 24:1

            Signs of spring and reawakening fill the air! As we come out from winter’s grip with longer and warmer days, now can be a time for continued refocusing and revisiting goals. It’s about change.  Time to spend some time in the dirt…growing gardens! 

My mother knew the value of spending time in the soil. Whether it was digging in the dirt or cutting her grass, my mother created a world of safety and nurture for her soul. She couldn’t wait until the spring planting season. In her yard and flower beds she found a place to de-stress and ignite more of the Creator’s wonder. These moments were truly a ritualistic lifeline for her.

Mary Parker Brown was also very particular about how things were done in her yard— the grass cut followed a certain rhythm, the bushes trimmed at a right length. There was a certain way to take and share this beauty. With her knowledge of when to fertilize and help the process or when nature would thrive on its own, her footprint on this plot of land was most recognizable. My mother passed this learning and loving relationship with the ground on to my sister, who now continues this effort at her own home—a yard rich with the green of her thumbs.

After my mother died, her neighbors sent us a card noting how much they would miss seeing her working in the yard. Many marveled at the color and organization of her space— the flowerbeds spilling over with variety and fullness, a lush landscape of annuals and perennials. As Dante Alighieri a 13th century Italian poet expressed, “Nature is the art of God.” Watering this precious growth at the right time with the right amount consumed my mother’s evenings. She relished the gain and surrender through the seasons of nature. Even though spring was her favorite, each weather change brought its own measure of output to her deed of land.

In planning our mother’s homegoing service, we knew she wanted lots of flowers adorning her casket and the church. We all delivered to make that happen. A myriad of floral tributes poured in from relatives, friends of hers and ours. Special casket sprays from us, her grandchildren and siblings found their right place close by her in the midst of these beautiful expressions for her send-off.

After my mother’s funeral, I was going through some of her papers and found a newspaper clipping with a picture of her planting flowers by a highway. This was a project for a flower club she once belonged to and the local paper had spotlighted their community effort in an article. Her contentment shone solid and passionate in this effort— the photo ‘so her’, spreading beauty with her talent. I now keep this framed clipping of her in my office. It reminds me to stay true to…                         

I’ve realized that everything we need to keep us on track is here. God created it so. One earth—an abundance to share and maintain for the future. There’s so much to enjoy in our natural surroundings.

Let’s examine our role in keeping the earth ‘green’. Through the media and other outlets, we get lots of tips on recycling and minimizing waste. Dig in. Receive and replenish while we grow and go in this land—while creating something lovely from it.

We take care of God’s land—it takes care of us. To it we return. Every day is Earth Day.

Parts excerpted from my motivational autobiography, Navigating Life’s Roadways: Stories of Insight from My Odyssey and Inspiration for Your Journey in print and Kindle eBook http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008FQDPYE