My dad was a farmer. He loved growing fields corn most of all, but he also grew a variety of vegetables in his garden. He loved the smell of freshly plowed soil in the spring. He loved to measure the growth of his corn as in "knee high by the 4th of July" and, even though harvest meant long days, short nights, and hard work, he gratefully enjoyed every moment of the fall. Winter was his time of reflection and of rest.
Even though I am not a farmer by trade and I have not yet successfully grown a productive vegetable garden, I go through these same processes and seasons in my own life.
I love the onset of fresh new ideas. Recently, I was introduced to the concept of grounding. Loosely related to the commercial grounding systems where they sell you sheets for your bed or bracelets for your ankles that supposedly ground you to the Earth (maybe they work, maybe they don't), I'm talking about the kind of grounding that drives me to be outside and connect with nature and the Earth through my body. To begin my personal exploration into this idea, I began going outside barefoot (of course, the idea emerged in the middle of winter) and feeling the cold ground connect with the souls of my feet. So far, I have only done this in the middle of the night (I don't want to worry the neighbors) and for a few minutes at a time (It's cold outside!) Although, I will say that my body has become more and more desensitized to the cold. It is almost as though the energy rising up from the Earth through the soles of my feet and out through the palms of my hands warms me. (If that sounds insane, I encourage you to give it a dedicated try for yourself!) At 1:30 on this a.m. it was windy and I felt the wind wrap around my body and hug me. Exploring new ideas can be like this is fun! I enter with a curious mind. I am open to the experience. I am surprised along the way. What is a new idea you'd like to begin exploring?
I love to monitor my spiritual growth. There is nothing better to me than being presented with a tough situation, similar to a past tough situation, and handling it way differently. It is in these moments that I can clearly see how far I have come. It is in this recognition that I give thanks for all of the experiences I have had to help me grow in the ability of regulating my emotions. How are you growing?
I love to harvest my spiritual rewards. I am happier, healthier, wealthier, and more free than I have ever been! I'm enjoying that!
To everything, there is a season. Winter surely arrives. Dark nights of the soul are unavoidable. May I use this time to reflect and to rest. May I used this time to imagine what seeds I will be planting when winter ends and spring emerges, which it must. Winter does not last forever. Wha'll you plant?
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