Tuesday, June 24, 2014

My garden is agreeable . . .

by Kim


"One of the new things people began to find out in the last century was that
thoughts-just mere thoughts-are as powerful as electric batteries-as good for
one as sunlight is, or as bad for one as poison. To let a sad thought or a bad one get
into your mind is as dangerous as letting a scarlet fever germ get into your body. If
you let it stay there after it has got in you may never get over it as long as you
live...surprising things can happen to any one who, when a disagreeable or
discouraged thought comes into his mind, just has the sense to remember in time
and push it out by putting in an agreeable determinedly courageous one. Two
things cannot be in one place.

"Where you tend a rose my lad, a thistle cannot grow."

- Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden


Sometimes the ebb and flow of life will hand you a detour, a very disagreeable detour, and one that will require some off road driving with a few bumps.

And sometimes, sometimes it can be so hard to navigate disagreeable, especially when the path is not easily seen, and definitely not familiar.

Unless of course, you have an agreeable garden, which I very much do! Maybe not so much in the abundance of plants, but in the diversity of its patterns and rhythm, and in it's good-naturedness.

So every morning I start my day on my front porch in search of agreeable amongst the disagreeable even in a good natured garden.

I have a lizard that comes to greet me each morning waiting for me to spritz her favorite plant with water. A momma who feeds her baby birds that have fledged the nest and is no longer dive bombing me. For bees and butterflies and for caterpillars and toads.

And just recently I've had dozens of dragonflies hanging out in the garden like angels. Their wings shimmering in the gentle breeze like gold. Coming over and hovering right in front of me, one by one. And not just dragonflies, but damselflies too.

I've never seen so many in my garden before, and certainly not all at once for this long. I have had many interesting encounters with dragonflies in the past as well, so I decided to look up their Native American symbolism. And wouldn't you know the dragonfly represents transformation and life's ever constant process of change and the understanding of the deeper meaning of life. Things that make me go . . . hmmm.

So since two things can't be in the same place, I'm trying to give my attention to the rose. But the silver lining is that even if a thistle is found nearby . . . they attract butterflies!

What is your agreeable?



12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just beautiful!

Dotti said...

Good post, Kim! Something we all need to think about more often. My mind and my heart often try to give space to conflicting thoughts and feelings at the same time ... and it messes me up. I need to work on paring down to the essential and sloughing off the non-essential. A good lesson for life. And photography, if you think about it.

Adrienne said...

Moved to tears. First by the photo, then by your words. I am learning to find my "agreeable" - I call it "sanctuary" in my day to day. To find it where I can in what is naturally around me....and to create it where needed (be it with a porch chair or a special mug or the scent of a candle) This is a quote for my written journal - such powerful words. Thank you for this!

Linda/patchwork said...

Beautiful photo, and wise words.
It's true that two things can't be in one place. It's not easy to let that one thing that fits, to be good thoughts. Humans seem to be hardwired to see the troubles first. But, if we try...if we REALLY try...we can kick that old bad thought away, and see all the beauty there is in life.
Thanks for the reminder.

terriporter said...

That quote is amazing and your photo even more so! Your focus on the wings couldn't be more perfect. And your post is such a wonderful life lesson. Focus on the agreeable and push the not so agreeable out. But I love that you can focus on the rose and still see the benefit to the thistle! That's the true path to happiness.

kelly said...

just beautiful kim. finding the agreeable...well it's really the only way i think. even when it's hard. kudos to you for finding your agreeable. xo

Cathy said...

Such a wonderful post Kim. Finding the agreeable.... I love that. xox

heyjudephotography said...

Oh such wise words Kim. I was nodding my head in agreement. I know this all to be true, but need to work on this.

Inspired By June said...

The deeper meaning of life... reminds me of Ecclesiastes. And the final word on the matter is, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. " Nice to hear from you, Kim. I'm on a bit of a disagreeable detour myself. My garden is my "agreeable" as well. And now that I think about it, there have been more than a few dragonflies :)

Jeanne said...

It is such a good thing to always be looking for the agreeable.

Kathryn Dyche said...

I love dragonflies and their symbolism too. I also love how you're able to look on the bright side of light (the agreeable). There is much I can learn from you my friend. Hope Sam is doing ok, you too. x

Wally Jones said...

My agreeable is discovering new and beautiful things, such as this post.

Thank you for sharing. Love your Dragon!

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