An inspiring young poet I met on Write Out Loud, who now resides virtually on Instagram as @BIGSALPOETRY, asked me a to do a collaboration poetry book with him. He likes to team up with poets to publish books that help charities which is right up my alley.
I asked Big Sal what topic he was thinking of and he said, “I don’t know, how about the therapeutic benefits of gardening.” Interesting topic, especially since I’m into the plant-based lifestyle and have been wanting to get back into gardening. I used to love to garden, but stopped years ago when “making a living” became my priority and everything in life seemed to take a backseat including spending time with my family, tending to my health, and getting my hands dirty.
Now that I am working from home and getting clarity on my priorities, I see the compounded results of neglecting the important things in life… obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue and other serious health issues, fractured relationships from a platonic marriage, to self-medicating “Cats in the Cradle” kids to family and friends that communicate big life events through social media instead a visit or phone call, to apathy for the environment and devastating world events.
Neglect seems small, insignificant at first, but over time it adds up to catastrophe! The reality of it all feels overwhelming and makes you wonder what you can actually do to make a difference. I think the solution is so simple that it is often overlooked… BACK TO BASICS!
For me it doesn’t get much more “back to basics” than planting a garden! So, that’s exactly what I am doing starting yesterday. The ripple effect is already beginning. I feel slightly sore muscles like I spent an hour lifting weights in the gym. It doesn’t hurt, it actually feels good, like my body is thanking me. And, I’m inspired to write which hasn’t happened in a while. Growth already!
I plan to continue taking notes as I grow my garden and get my priorities straight, which I hope can not only become inspiration for the poetry book, but a life transformation for the matriarch of a family that continues into the next generation.
Write on!
WriterKat
Gardens provide us with a profound sense of connection to something that is eternal and beyond us. ~Tom Spencer
WriterKat 