Gardening Brings Blessing of Hope

Blessing #12

Hope, according to Webster, ‘is one that gives promise for the future’. and ‘a desire accompanied by expectation of fulfillment’.  I can see this promise in the garden.  I feel the expectation of fulfillment in every season that passes.
Plant life is just that – Life.  The stages of each season mimic our human soul. The changes are not the end, but the ongoing pattern in the continual phases of dying, death, renewal, growth, youth, and maturity.



The season of winter is a tough one for many of us to endure. The darkness, the cold, the bleak landscape that lies buried in piles of leaves, debris, and snow, seem to scream – It's over! Done! NO HOPE!






I am reminded during this winter season, that there is hope, and I’m living it. The snowy field at sunset may seem like despair is looming, but what comes after a sunset?  The moon to light the night, and stars become a welcome nightlight. So even in the darkness, we can have hope, a true blessing.



And then the stars fade and the sunrise becomes a new day and hope re-surges.  The seasons progress in this manner. Looking forward into the ‘promise for the future’, we see an emergence of rebirth.  Shoots of plants poke up through the soil with the promise of new, or continued life.



As the buds swell on the branch, we see a renewal of life, and our hopes arise and anything seems possible.
 


Tress with branches laden with blooms are hopeful glimpses of  the future and the fruit that will feed us.  Hope further revealed is exhibited in the wildlife that creates new broods each season, with the hope that life goes on and continues the cycle.




Growing season is a wonder!  The immature plants grow and stretch. They take in all that nature has to offer – sunshine, water, and nutrients and become better for it. They produce blossoms, fruit, vegetables, and

eventually seeds.



Even a storm has the promise of hope.  The moisture is necessary for the plants to thrive 

and winds take up the vision by scattering seeds, and hope far and wide.





The garden’s gift of hope is displayed when we dare to plant a seed or a new plant. The ‘expectation of fulfillment' seeps into our very being, that life, as we know it, will continue and is a blessing.

The seasons move forward, and plants, like this sunflower mature.  The seeds are food for nature, and when they are harvested, they offer hope for yet another season of sunflowers.

I can see a correlation between the sunflower and my own maturity.  I  have grown, taken in the experiences of life, and now I pass the ‘seeds’ of life’s learning along to others. Hopefully some of the seeds will take hold and grow.



This acorn is a standard of hope. It is faithfully planted by the scrambling squirrels in the hopes for food during the months to come.  The misplaced or forgotten acorn will over winter in the ground, and when the spring warmth and moisture arrive the continued life cycle is apparent.




Autumn and harvest time are a blessing. We get to enjoy the efforts we made during the growing season. The promise of the future is not forgotten.

Each season offers challenges. Then the peace and joy of the 'promise for a future' is just the hope we need to hold onto.  Dreams, and expectations, give us the strength to move forward.
Give your dreams wings, and let hope be the wind.


I hope I have given you a gift with this series of Blessings.

Winter is here in North America, and time to reflect until the next season arrives.   Sincerely, Claudia