Adjust & Readjust

Strolling through our compact backyard gardens with a dear friend, I shared how much I love planting—but how I struggle with rebalancing plant spacing over the course of many seasons. Oak leaf hydrangeas I planted two years ago now tower over the dahlias from the year before; what were once mid-spring beauties have become mid-summer behemoths. My friend and I admired those gifted with the skill of knowing just when and how to prune and propagate.

Both gardening and life call for the continual practice of adjusting and readjusting. I first heard this phrase from a friend who, in his late 50s, experienced a serious stroke. Before the stroke, he was lifting heavy weights; afterward, he needed assistance walking. As the grandson of farmers, he carries a hearty, resilient spirit. Over the years, I’ve been inspired by his ability to manage physical challenges with grace. Early on, he told me that his grandparents had prepared him for this and for many other difficult moments. “They taught me,” he said, “that life provides many opportunities to adjust and readjust.”

Life—and gardens—offer us endless chances to rebalance, readjust, prune, and propagate. Wisdom invites us to pause and consider the needs of our current life chapters—or seasons, if you will. Our bodies may require new forms of movement. Our relationships may need a rebalancing of time and attention. And always, time spent with the sacred nourishes the soul and cultivates the soil in which a fruitful life can bloom—even in the midst of weeds, disappointments, and heartbreak.

Learning and growing alongside you,

Mary Bea