September 7--Bless Our Trees

Trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.  --Moliere

    When we moved into our home in 1985, all the trees in the neighborhood were spindly little saplings. I could barely wait to get trees planted in our yard. That happened in 1990. Back then I did not dream that we would be in the same home nearly 40 years later, but here we are and the trees that remain are big. I went from a sunny yard with a thriving vegetable garden to a shady one with ornamental plants only. Disease, age and/or storm damage have forced the removal of several of ours and our neighbors trees, and I'm back to growing some vegetables. Many folks in the neighborhood planted silver maples because they grow fast. Those are the ones that are also failing the soonest. 

    I grew up in central PA surrounded by literally millions of trees. I was a "tree-hugger" before that was even a term. And yes, the slow growers thrive for the longest time.  

    A tree's shade is priceless in our hot Kansas summers. 

        Leta

My "tree heaven"--
Alan Seeger Natural Area in PA

September 6--Is Pain Useful?

Be patient and tough; someday this pain will be useful to you.  --Ovid

    Being human, I would prefer to avoid pain. Times in life accompanied by great pain generally don't seem useful in the moment. Alas, humans, including me, tend to change only when the pain reaches a certain level. As I ponder this quote, I can see where pain has been extremely useful to me. 

    Back in 1996, I had a bout of horrid back pain. Instead of having surgery, I elected bed-rest for nearly six weeks, and it did heal. That was no small challenge for a working husband and two young children. Patience was the primary "medicine." That pain was very useful--I vowed to get in shape and stay in shape so that it would not happen again. I have kept that promise to myself. 

    Pain on every level led me into 12-Step recovery. The pain of losing loved ones has led me to understanding and compassion relative to grief. The verbal abuse I experienced growing up was the major instigator of my spiritual journey. 

    I'm not ready to say "bring it on!" to pain, but yes, it has been a useful messenger.

        Leta

September 5--Expectations

Whatever it is you're seeking won't come in the form you're expecting. 
--Haruki Murakami

    I've worked hard the past few years to give up any sort of expectations, because they have led me frequently in the past into disappointments large and small. It is, however, impossible for me to give up expectations, at least so far. I try to remember to add "this or something better" to my anticipated results. 

    I confess that this topic has reduced me to tears, taking me briefly back down the "rabbit hole" of disappointment and depression I have recently climbed out of. I guess a good soul-rinsing was in order--not what I was expecting this morning, but healing nonetheless. 

    This is a good reminder to keep moving, breathe and go with the flow.

        Leta

September 4--Go Outside!

Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience--or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope.  --Jane Austen

    "Hope" sits better in my psyche than "patience." I am hopeful, but thoughts of patience make me realize how impatient I usually am. 

    I had the most wonderful experience on Labor Day morning. I took my yoga mat and MELT roller out on our deck and practiced. It was a lovely, cool, sunny morning with just a light breeze. There was birdsong and insect chatter. Distant traffic noise was picking up. The garden is lovely, especially our wildly exuberant volunteer sunflowers (see below). I even enjoyed my artwork as five of my barn quilts are hanging on our back yard shed. Practicing on the deck is a treat I shall repeat with our lovely fall weather coming on. 

    Consider your options--maybe a change is in good order today!

        Leta

Too full of flowers to stay upright!

September 3--Settling?

It's a funny thing about life. If you refuse to settle for anything less than the best, that's what it will give you.  --W. Somerset Maugham

    It's a funny thing about life--the idea of settling came to me last week as something I might consider. I even did some journaling about it. I think the practice of settling is different for each individual. Here's one example, for a very wealthy person: "I want my own castle, but I'll settle for a mansion." 

    I'm more in the range of "I want diamonds, but I'll settle for cubic zirconia." I also have within me a drive to and for simplicity--less stuff and fewer complications in life. I'm not sure how simplicity and settling get intertwined. There are some circumstances in my life that are not ideal, over which I have little or no control. Therefore I simply have to settle into those, accept (even though I don't care for them), and move on with life. 

    Gratitude seems to be a good antidote for settling. Most of the time I can stay focused on my in-hand blessings rather than my unmet fantasies. 

    There's more to ponder here, I see. 

        Leta

September 2--Stillness Opens Us

We do not need to go out and find love; rather, we need to be still and let love discover us.  --John O'Donohue

    Only in stillness can we connect deeply with the love within us, our natural, organic state. 

    Painting is one of the ways that I can use stillness. I have no expectations of my artwork residing in a gallery someday. I am very content to piddle around with paints and please myself. I love the open spiritual feeling I get when I sit down at my craft table to add paint to a project. My current project is experimenting with painting clay pots, combining my love of painting and plants. Below is my first creation--note my love of straight lines 😉😉 The plant is a Rattlesnake Plant, calathea lancifolia. I noticed that this plant's leaves reach upward toward the stars at nighttime and relax back open in the daylight. 

    Happy Labor Day! This is an excellent day to enjoy stillness.

        Leta

September 1--Patience, NOW!

That is happiness; to be dissolved into something complete and great. When it comes to one, it comes as naturally as sleep.  --Willa Cather

    The theme in "Daily Love" for September is patience.  Are you kidding me?!?!?! I have another grandbaby on the way mid-month. I stayed calm through August but there's no stopping me now--I can hardly wait for the call!! Even the parents don't know if the new little one is a boy or a girl. I love surprises!

    Jittery excitement aside, I enter September with some trepidation. I love autumn and cooler temperatures. Gardening becomes pleasurable again. Simulated patient work is resuming. Yet I've had 95% of my rough spots in life in September, so I'm always a little wary. I am determined, focusing on my intentions, to make this a good month. And how could it be otherwise with a new grandbaby arriving!?!? And I'm starting the month with pool fun and game-playing with friends. 

    With patience, September shall flow with ease and grace.

        Leta

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