Gardening Therapy

            I believe in gardening.  There are many types of therapy in today’s society.  For me gardening is very therapeutic.  It is true; there is the dirt, bugs and weeds, but the fulfillment of being able to grow such beauty out of a tiny seed makes it all worth it.  Gardening gives me a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment.

            My family and I moved into a house that had previously been vacant for two years.  In the back yard there was a flower garden that bordered the entire length of the fence line.  Looking at this flower garden that had been dominantly taken over by weeds as tall as my hips, I thought, ‘I bet this use to be beautiful.  It’s going to take a lot of work, but I’ll make it beautiful again’.  I was determined to do just that.  Little did I know how therapeutic it would be.

            The next morning I loaded up the kids in the van and off to the garden center at Menards we went.  We each picked out a pair of gardening gloves and gardening tools.  We admired the beautiful plants and the vibrant colors of the flowers.  My youngest begged to be held up so she could take in the fragrance of each flower!  Proudly I picked her up for every single flower out of her reach that we had past.  Eager to get started, we made our way to the register with garden gloves and tools in our hands.  When we got home we all corralled around the mound of weeds that we were about to conquer.  The energy and excitement to get started quickly diminished and was overwhelmed by the hard work that it took to pull all of the weeds; one after another, after another, after another.  Before long I realized it was wishful thinking that the kids would pull weeds with me.  They made their way to the swing set and played.  I didn’t mind; they were having fun and being good.

            Oddly enough I found it to be relaxing.  Pulling weeds, getting dirty, and letting my mind wonder on anything that it happens to land on and think.  Thinking of nothing in particular and overwhelmed by not the day’s hurries but the calmness of the garden.  I worked in the garden, pulling those weeds, from one end to the other end.  Many days I was so absorbed with working in the garden that I would lose track of time and before long I’d find myself in the dark. 

            Gardening gave me a feeling of pride, accomplishment, enjoyment, and confidence.  I am not typically proud of my accomplishments, but when it came to my garden I felt such great pride and had such enjoyment just by admiring my hard work that I had put into the garden.  Pulling those weeds out of my garden was like pulling the stress out of my life!  I can honestly say that gardening made me a happier person!