At this writing, we are in the midst of a global pandemic, the scope of which has not been seen since 1918. The uncertainty of the times has led many people to garden for one reason or another. Amid these endeavors, many people have found thankfulness and gratitude in the garden.
When gardeners give thanks from the garden, they may be grateful for food to put on the table or they may be thankful for the sun shining on their face. What are some other ways you can give thanks from the garden?
Gratitude and Thankfulness in the Garden
Feeling gratitude and thankfulness in the garden transcends religious affiliation or lack of. It all comes down to appreciating the moment or recognizing the power in the ritual of digging a hole and planting a seed or plant, an almost sacred ritual that has been practiced for thousands of years.
Gratitude in the garden might stem from the fact that your family will have plenty to eat or that because you grow produce, the grocery bill has been lightened up. Thankfulness in the garden might be reflected in working together with your children, partner, friends, or neighbors. It reflects a kind of fellowship and reminds us that we are all in this together.
Reasons Gardeners Give Thanks in the Garden
Some gardeners give thanks that this year the fruit trees or brambles bore well while still other gardeners pause and give thanks for their fruitful soil, plentiful sun, and water.
Some gardeners might give thanks from the garden for the lack of weeds due to the foresight of putting a couple inches of mulch down, while others might have gratitude in the garden because they have to weed and are currently on furlough or out of work.
One might feel gratitude in the garden when planting flowers, trees, or shrubs starts and direct this appreciation towards the people in nursery centers. Some gardeners not only appreciate the natural beauty surrounding them but post inspirational messages or create areas of meditation to fully appreciate their thankfulness in the garden.
The beauty of a bloom, the glimpse of the sun dappling through trees, cheery birdsong, scampering squirrels or chipmunks, the aroma of a tomato plant, the whisper of grasses in the breeze, the smell of freshly mowed grass, the sight of dew on a spider’s web, the tinkle of a wind chime; for all these and more, gardeners give thanks.