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Be a soul gardener

Spring is my favorite time of the year.  I love the cold thawing and the warmth emanating, being on the cusp of growth and life.  That's why I love being in the garden; I love planting and nurturing, then watching the butterflies, bees, and birds find nourishment and enjoyment in what I have grown.  As I work in the garden, and watch all of this life and growth, nature whispers lessons to me.  My lesson today: Be a 'Soul Gardener' to those around you.

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Look closely.  Do you see it?  Poking through the thick pile of leaves, fighting for a little sun and water, is a young Caladium;  one stem still unfurled, the other bitten off by some insect or critter.  As I cleared away the leaves, to allow for water to penetrate the dirt and get to the roots, I thought about how sometimes we all get mired down in the leaves and heaviness of life. Look around you, is their anyone in your life who might need a little help pushing through the overgrowth in their life?  If so, with grace and kindness, be a gardener to their soul.

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A gardener checks on their plant regularly, so, too, should we send our friend a quick message here and there just to see how they are doing and then take their lead, if they need to be "watered," you will be able to tell.  How do you water a friend's soul?  You listen.  Don't give advice, or go on and on, just be present with them and listen.  Of course, going out for coffee, or a meal, or shopping is fun, but what a friend really needs is for us to listen and know that we are there.  In these days of social media and instant communication, a handwritten note is often a nice way to sprinkle a little love to a friend on a regular basis.  Things will begin to look up.

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Over time, as you water, you will notice that the flower starts to bloom and burst forth, so will your friend's heart.  Keep loving and supporting them.

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As time goes on and you continue to water your plant, it may spread it's seeds and produce more plants or flowers.  As you continue to love your friend, and they begin to see their beautiful selves unfurl, they will begin to love themselves and then express that love to friends and family and then to the world, sowing seeds of love. 

Look around you, is there anyone who could use your love today? Push back the leaves, love and water the souls around you. The world desperately needs more people willing to be gardeners of the soul, so we can all reap a harvest of love.