The Good Gardener

I hesitated drafting a post this week because I was worn out. Sometimes, we reach the end of our tether and feel like life's challenges have taken their ultimate toll on us, so we give in & give up. A dear soul urged me to pen my thoughts and it wasn't until I was drawing the curtains to let sunlight in that the backbone of this post resurrected; gardening.

Dress : H&M | Heels : Red Herring (Debenhams)

One of the lent activities centred around faith of a mustard seed & the need to die in the earth to sprout above the earth & bring forth fruit. To practically illustrate this, we were given seeds and a wooden stick to term that plant what we would supplicate to God in that season. Some wrote 'love', others wrote more personal pleas like 'Eric's surgery next week', and we all took our potted seeds rooted in damp soil home to care for. I watered mine religiously; left it by the light as required, and within no time, a stem was peaking out from the soil and coiling towards the whims of the summer sun. I basked in my green-fingered glory and invested in another pot. I'd seen the first bear a beautiful lilac and aubergine coloured flower, and was enthusiastic to continue growing more.

Church House Gardens, Bromley

I was gifted lavender seeds from the lovely people at L'Occitane, and started on another project. However, this pot wasn't so speedy. I grew frustrated and cultivated the soil, turning over some seeds to be more visible, and it was with this righteous angered act that one germinated. Its been months since I planted seeds in that second pot, but it wasn't until today I noted two minuscule green leaves attached to an ant-like stem, peaking out from the soil to see the day. 

Stud Earrings : Betsey Johnson | Watch : Michael Kors | Ring : Topshop

Why have I gone through the effort of meticulously detailing this gardening analogy? Well, because like my last post, I understand the feelings this season brings for young academics. I understand the frustration of putting in all your resources and effort into a venture and watching your dreams wilt, or die with the sun of the day. Careful not to look at your past successes as an indication of the speed or avenue to take for future endeavours. I understand the hope that comes with seeing just the smallest bit of evidence of your work shine through, so your peers, parents and whoever else can be rightly proud of you. I urge you to understand that life (studying; bae; beauty; the works) is like a well-gardened plant; it sprouts at its whim and wilts at its neglect. What dies in one soil today, can be uprooted and yield bounteous harvest the next. Don't pit your life on a failure or a dream deferred, because who is to know what may become of that very skill or dream tomorrow?

"A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows even though we do not" Dogen