People make a point of telling me how much they enjoy my gardens – how they make a point of walking by regularly, sometimes daily, to see what’s blooming or what I’ve added or moved around. They ask for names of particular plants. They tell me stories about how they once had such and such a plant but could never get it to grow. They always tell me how beautiful the gardens are. And, I always thank them and sometimes add, “It’s coming along,” or “It’s a work in progress.”
But, I’m always thinking, “Oh my gosh, what are you looking at?! Can’t you see all the weeds? Don’t you see how those plants are competing with one another?” “It would be prettier if this moved there, or that was here,” or “I really should get some more mulch in this bed.”
Why do I see my garden in such a completely different way than my neighbors do? Why do I see the flaws and they see the beauty? I hope it is because I am the care taker and have a pre-conceived vision of/for my garden that my neighbors don’t have as passers-by and not that I have a critical view overall.
Today, I challenge myself to open my eyes to see the beauty instead of the flaws.
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