Take Your Time

There is something convenient about the pace of gardening. There is always work to do, but most of it is rarely urgent. Sure, there are harvest days and planting days where, give or take, the best results happen over the course of maybe a week, but nature can be surprisingly forgiving if you miss by a day here and there.

It is perhaps part of why gardening can be so relaxing, because a part of us understands, "What's the rush?"

It is a lesson for life. In this space, we frequently talk about the reality that life is filled with difficult decisions only we can make. We have no choice but to make them, and usually in the near future. I would never say to put off important things past their time, but when exactly is their time?

Is the deadline looming at work self-imposed? Do the five pounds you want to lose really need to come off this week, or can you give yourself some credit for the first three and an extra week to lose the rest? Is the book you are writing truly due on January 1st, or can you allow yourself until February to create a better story? Do you have to decide right now whether the kids will play soccer or baseball this year? Do you need to plan Friday's dinner on Tuesday, or can some of it just fall into place?

I don’t know your life and schedule, and for some people, knowing certain things are set in stone is useful and helpful. For others, it is not. Take a lesson from the garden, and always remember that you can slow down in your decisions. Take stock of where you are, then choose your future path with wisdom and confidence.

Sometimes it’s okay to take your time.