peace .. love .. happiness .. in 2013 ..

i'm a great believer in everything in its own time .. in the inevitability of life that all things come .. or work out .. when conditions are absolutely perfect .. and there's the kicker, isn't it .. 'when conditions are perfect' .. not when i think whatever it is is supposed to happen .. oh, no .. been there a million times in my life .. no.sir.ee .. doesn't even come close to how life actually works .. much as i might like to think to the contrary there's no forcing life .. it comes in its own time .. when conditions are just right .. then .. presto! .. everything magically and easily moves towards a perfect outworking .. i've seen it happen many times ..

for instance .. one place this principle is at work is in the forests here on the island .. when absolutely every factor necessary for its appearance is in place out comes the spotted coral root .. an absolutely magical plant that stays underground until just the perfect number of fir needles .. or moisture .. or shade .. or moss .. or any other unknown factors gather to provide the perfect environment .. and .. there you are out wandering about the woods .. when you look down and see it .. right where  you've walked hundreds of times before .. but now .. the time is ripe for this ethereal little being to show itself .. )wish i had a photo but am trusting you get my drift ..)

yet, here i am having been witness to such magic .. still thinking .. from time to time .. that i know how it's all supposed to be .. thinking that i can force things to happen by sheer will and determination .. i've even got my little box all ready to stuff it into .. whatever 'it' might be in the moment .. and then .. trust me .. it's blood .. sweat .. and tears .. with just the right amount of grunting and groaning .. cursing and stomping of feet .. trying .. with all my might .. to make things happen that simply aren't ready to happen .. it's a fruitless endeavour really .. not sure why i don't give up on it .. however .. over the years .. and much to my delight .. my experience of patience has grown .. i've even made it to the point, lately, when i can step back .. take my hands off .. and put my trust into the natural  outworking of life .. be patient .. and witness the outworking ..

now my friend, phil .. there was a patient man .. he knew he was on the way to breathing his last breath .. yet he was intent on creating a garden where one hadn't existed before .. and not only that, but a garden that would bloom in the darker days of winter .. in the shade of tall evergreen trees .. and, so .. with such a specific criteria each and every plant was carefully .. and lovingly .. researched with a view as to blooming between september and april .. whether or not they'd thrive in shade .. and how much space they'd require to grow to their full potential .. eventually .. years later ..  in fact, many years after phil passed on ..

i planted many of the plants in this garden .. i know what went into choosing each one .. the patience required to pore over gardening books .. make careful notes .. think .. and finally to choose each plant .. knowing that they'd be there for years to come .. after seeing many other gardens planted chock-a-block full of plants .. or planted helter skelter .. ( like my own at the time) .. i was intrigued .. and inspired .. by phil's conscious regard to the placement of plants in this garden .. even so .. they were planted much farther apart than my mind determined they "should" be .. i admit ..  i was a bit skeptical at first .. i hadn't yet gained the patience required to know about such things .. but phil knew .. he knew that with time .. and patience .. each plant in the garden would fill its alloted space .. and so they are ..

phil wasn't interested in forcing anything to happen .. even though he knew he wouldn't be here to see his creation unfold .. while he was here he was happy to simply watch the garden grow .. and now, more than  fifteen years later  i'm still here .. and i continue to watch this garden grow .. and flourish .. and i delight in the fact that slowly .. and steadily .. the space is filling in .. i think maybe i'm beginning to understand what is meant by the saying that "patience is a virtue" ..

i don't usually make new years' resolutions .. however .. as the new year draws closer i resolve that throughout this year .. in the garden .. and in my everyday .. i will continue to cultivate patience and put my faith in the power of life .. to unfold as it will ..

happy new year to you all ..