Here in North Carolina, the weather has been perfect for our gardens. The mornings have been cool, the afternoons warm and the evenings pleasant. The lettuce I was just about to give up on for the rest of the summer came roaring back ready to be a part of my dinner meal. The watermelons, cantaloupe, potatoes, corn, vine spinach and of course the tomatoes are growing, providing me with something to eat every day.
There is a mental clarity that accompanies checking leaves for insects or watching a watermelon start off as small as a grape and grow every day. There is a mental clarity that accompanies rubbing your hands on a rosemary plant and smelling its poignant fragrance long after you have parted company.
There is also a mental clarity that is brought on by the practicality of living life in these times. Food prices are rising as we speak as food quality continues to suffer. People are finding that they are unable to make the financial commitment necessary to eat healthy, yet people are continuing to get sick. Having your food choices dictated by the dollars in your pocket is mentally frustrating and a disservice to all. My garden does not force me to have to make those kind of choices.
I consider my garden to be mental health partner - it keeps me focused, does not trouble me with financial considerations, and gives back the energy I put into it by way of the fruit and vegetables it produces.
During these times, the world continues to intrude into our carefully cultivated sanctuaries and challenges our certainty about the future but what remains constant are our living partners - if you plant the seed...they will grow and keep you sane.
SKT
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