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Daily Question, April 13

In the garden of life, what do the weeds teach me?

  • Gail

    Sometimes when I look at the weeds in my garden, I see a needed change or an imperfection……….then I remember to see it as myself or the world……..imperfect, different, part of a beautiful plan of diversity and I stop to remember that ALL of life is just as it should be.

  • Trevor James

    That life is suffering.

  • Christine

    That they must have been made by the same powerful hand that made the most beautiful flower.

  • Kim SD

    "Plants out of place", is what I was taught as a definition of weeds. God's garden has no weeds, just wildflowers. There's a thought for you. All our so-called flaws, those qualities that we have decided are undesirable, are no different to God than the qualities we are so proud of "cultivating". God loves us all as we are, right now. Maybe we should relax a little about judging some things (or people!) as "weeds". In botany, there are no weeds, just plants. One person's "weed" is another's b...

    “Plants out of place”, is what I was taught as a definition of weeds. God’s garden has no weeds, just wildflowers. There’s a thought for you. All our so-called flaws, those qualities that we have decided are undesirable, are no different to God than the qualities we are so proud of “cultivating”. God loves us all as we are, right now. Maybe we should relax a little about judging some things (or people!) as “weeds”. In botany, there are no weeds, just plants. One person’s “weed” is another’s beautiful flower! Are we too eager to classify this way?

    Read More
  • Ms. Awesome

    I have weeds in my daily life that need to be taken out I have a job to do it is called confession!!! tending to my soil tending to my planted seeds.

  • Palm

    A weed is a plant growing in the “wrong” place. Find your tribe, find the place where you can blossom, find the wild ground.

  • Pilgrim

    The weeds teach me that, even in less than ideal conditions, surviving, thriving and even blooming are possible. Plant roots where I am, and reach toward the light. Allow tenacity along with vulnerability. Leave the rest in God’s hands.

  • Anna

    I’m trying to get nearer to the wisdom told in The Book of Ecclesiastes, and to the legacy of the ancient fathers in my country “in medio stat virtus”. Between two opposites there is always an opportunity.

  • Fei-Fei

    Should I hope that all the difficulties be avoided in my life? One would be really lucky that way, and lucky people do exist but not many. The weeds in my life have taught me that I am not a special one in this world, thus bringing me closer to reality. And the difficulties that I have been through bring me closer to the many others who have suffered. I am grateful for being able to be more connected and compassionate to other people.

  • sparrow

    I was actually thinking in terms of
    weeds=undesirable parts of ourselves . . .
    or unpleasant people or circumstances.
    Then,
    making the garden analogy
    I realized that actual weeds are not necessarily undesirable,
    which brought me to a place where balance is required . . .
    all things in moderation.

    Weeds are people too . . .

  • Ed Schulte

    In the garden of life, what do the weeds teach me?

    The so-called "weeds" are, in fact, my greatest teaches....they are the ones there to make sure I ,,....as the Sufi say..."don't go back to sleep"....There is nothing in the manifest existence called "Life" which is not there to be experienced and not have a reason behind it...........as it is said in 1 Corr. 14:33 "For God is not the author of confusion but of Peace. This is valuable to keep in mind especially with all the "confusion" which...

    In the garden of life, what do the weeds teach me?

    The so-called “weeds” are, in fact, my greatest teaches….they are the ones there to make sure I ,,….as the Sufi say…”don’t go back to sleep”….There is nothing in the manifest existence called “Life” which is not there to be experienced and not have a reason behind it………..as it is said in 1 Corr. 14:33 “For God is not the author of confusion but of Peace. This is valuable to keep in mind especially with all the “confusion” which arrises around Easter in the media and its ( all be it good intentions) reporting on the Real ( real to them anyway) Life of Joshua Emanuel the Christ.

    So the “weeds” are there as visitors, visitors inviting the experiencer to go into, by Introspection, and discover what it Truly is to be a Human Being.

    The Christian Mystic Daskalos sums it up in these words of wisdom.

    “So this is this work of every Seeker of the Truth. Instead of being a slave of circumstances, his desires and emotions, leaving the Mind [to be as] as a slave to our desires and being even our self the slave of our personal egoism [ but rather to, instead ] wake up as a personality, controlling our behavior and know now the truth, instead of being misguided by allusions so that we will reach what I call the “Self-Consciousness” of our present-day personality. And believe me this is a great, great, day. You’ll find out that really now, you live in a better way and for you now life is precious and is getting a new value now. Something more. You start respecting that self, even as a present-day-personality, while before you had no respect for your personality.

    So introspection is looking within, analyzing your present-day personality self-consciousness and making corrections. You will not losing anything! You’re gaining much!! So by trying to annihilate the egoism you gain your Ego. You assimilate your present-day personality self to your Real Ego Self, the SPIRIT, Yes!!” END QUOTE

    Read More
  • Gina

    love this question as I am so eager to get into my garden...now that winter is just about over.....uncovered snow/ice from my garlic
    I plant veggies, food to eat but love all my flowers and they have a purpose pollinating and providing pollinators in my garden for my fruit bushes
    but it has been the drought resistant, reliable plants ,the perennials, call them weeds, cause they survive no matter what !!!!!
    they come up after a very long winter and I am learning to appreciate them most, the we...

    love this question as I am so eager to get into my garden…now that winter is just about over…..uncovered snow/ice from my garlic
    I plant veggies, food to eat but love all my flowers and they have a purpose pollinating and providing pollinators in my garden for my fruit bushes
    but it has been the drought resistant, reliable plants ,the perennials, call them weeds, cause they survive no matter what !!!!!
    they come up after a very long winter and I am learning to appreciate them most, the weeds!!!
    my mother used to pick dandelion greens in early spring and we would eat them!!!!
    – now I see them as a delicacy! I have been to 2 wild edible dinners and the food was incredible!
    sometimes weeds are just as beautiful and delicious if we only gave them a chance!!!!
    so guess if I give it a chance, some patience, acceptance and kindness all my weeds of life will eventually blossom into something I never expected and I sure hope so cause I find such comfort in my garden, just like the metaphorical garden of life and look forward to being in it all summer long……..
    thanks for this…….

    Read More
    • Malag

      Love that, Gina. Never thought of eating Dandelions! I also think as you’ve said “sometimes weeds are just as beautiful and delicious if we only gave them a chance”. A weed is only a label. Aren’t they all wild flowers?

  • Michael

    That we are too judgmental?

  • kathleen

    I would characterize them as my attitudes, defenses, ways of seeing that are in my life that are not helpful. It is wise to cultivate self acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, generosity, kindness, patience and love to overcome these. Because we are not perfect the weeds will always be there to remind us of our humanness.

  • gratitudechallenge1915

    I literally had a talk with my therapist the other day, where she used this metaphor. On occasion, issues and problems so severe and terrifying "grow" in the garden of life. But it's so important to remember that your garden is bigger than just the weeds. It consists of what you choose to plant in it, what you choose to nurture. If I get caught up only pulling out weeds, worrying about weeds, planning on how to deal with the weeds every waking moment, I won't make any time to notice the dandelio...

    I literally had a talk with my therapist the other day, where she used this metaphor. On occasion, issues and problems so severe and terrifying “grow” in the garden of life. But it’s so important to remember that your garden is bigger than just the weeds. It consists of what you choose to plant in it, what you choose to nurture. If I get caught up only pulling out weeds, worrying about weeds, planning on how to deal with the weeds every waking moment, I won’t make any time to notice the dandelions, daisies, tulips or roses. I won’t be planting any, and I certainly won’t be enjoying them… But the truth is, there ARE so many more flowers to notice, appreciate and be grateful for. And it seems that the more you focus on those, the more you have of them.

    Read More
  • sparrow

    The weeds teach me to be vigilant . . .
    if I don’t tend to my garden regularly,
    they will sprout up and strangle my plants.
    Oh yes,
    weeds do have their rightful place,
    but not in my garden.

    Weeds also teach me to appreciate all beauty . . .
    take for example,
    the humble dandelion . . .

  • Michael

    I’ve left something untended. I’ve neglected a part of what I need to daily do. my “weeds” are typically too much sugar n not eating as cleanly as I ought to.

  • Nina

    weeds will always grow just as flowers will always bloom.
    it is what you choose to concentrate on that makes the difference.
    i try to focus on the beauty of the garden as a whole.
    its not always easy but i try my best to take the time to smell the flowers.

  • Antoinette

    In the garden of life the whole garden can not be separated.
    The mud of the garden is a necessary aspect of our garden. Suffering and happiness are one.
    In order to truly understand love we have to have mud to pant our seeds and we cultivate loving kindness and compassion all day and night. Everyday we tend our garden being present to whatever is there.
    Being in the here and now we full accept whatever grows in our garden. We pay attention to what flowers we want to water more.
    Cultivate...

    In the garden of life the whole garden can not be separated.
    The mud of the garden is a necessary aspect of our garden. Suffering and happiness are one.
    In order to truly understand love we have to have mud to pant our seeds and we cultivate loving kindness and compassion all day and night. Everyday we tend our garden being present to whatever is there.
    Being in the here and now we full accept whatever grows in our garden. We pay attention to what flowers we want to water more.
    Cultivate love and flowers of compassion, at the same time we don’t push away whatever comes up.
    The weeds teach me to appreciate the all the flowers.

    Read More
  • Kevin

    Sometimes the best things, or circumstances come about of which I had no control of or had a hand in making happen. Even as I continue to pursue short and long term goals, there are instances along the way that come into play that I had not envisioned, but which, like the pesky weeds in our gardens, catch my eye, hold my attention and mysteriously become a welcomed part of the ongoing lessons of our life.
    – Kevin

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