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Once upon a time, a long time ago…there was a beautiful garden that was cared for by an elderly Gardener.
Everyday, the Gardener would tend to the flowers that were famed for their beauty. He was known far and wide as the outstanding curator of the Gardens. The Roses always won first price at the local garden shows.
One day, a violent storm blew through the land. It ranted and raged for days. The house was hit by lightning. Tree were destroyed by hail. The river flooded its banks. Many people lost their homes and their lives during the storm. The Garden that had been the joy of The Gardener had been destroyed.
The house was abandoned after the big storm, and neglect soon consumed what was left of the Garden. Deer would roam through what was left of the gardens, rabbits dug burrows and the birds ate all the seeds. No planting, no harvesting, no flowers - no love.
It was going to take the work of the Master Gardener to restore the garden….pruning the dead branches, hauling in fresh topsoil, tilling the soil, weeding, watering, fertilizing, mulching, harvesting, planting if the Garden was be restored to its former beauty and life.
Restore
The definition of “restore”implies a conscious act of repairing, or renewing something that has been damaged, or broken, or in a state of disrepair.
We all have a personal life story of experiencing damage, brokenness or disarray. Storms in Life have a way of beating us up.
Damaged relationships, broken bones, lost time.
For me it was damaged relationships and broken bones (a few of them), that resulted in a loss of direction that left me feeling depleted, aimlessness and anxious about the future.
(Jordan Peterson says that aimlessness and anxiety go hand in hand)
https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.jordan.b.peterson/video/7278349540992879877
To “restore” requires a resilient effort to overcome the rains (or drought), the neglect and the pests. As the Phoenix rose from the destruction.
To arrive at our end goal of Thriving - we must step back and evaluate what areas of our life needs to be restored. ( Think about your garden - from weeding to watering)
How do you “restore”? Whether it is through decluttering our physical and emotional spaces, prayer and meditation, resting, walking - a walk cannot fix everything - but most everything is made better by a walk. The process of restoration becomes a catalyst for a vibrant and empowered life.
Establish
Back to the garden - A thriving garden is the ultimate goal. You didn’t go through all the work of pruning and rock picking, and pulling thistles to have dirt. You want your plants to flourish.
The daily grind or the rat race - whatever you choose to call it - does not allow you to Thrive. It takes work to establish a life that truly your own.
Planning, research, collaboration, decision making are required to establish a new framework for thriving. All four of these verbs involve a level of mental or physical effort as we commit to achieve our personal definition of thriving.
In life, this means defining and writing down a new set of goals, asking advice from those around you, making a decision to commit to yourself and your future.
Thrive
A thriving garden is full of plants that not only survive, but flourish. They are healthy, growing, spreading, blooming and vibrant.
This is the goal: To Thrive in spite of rain storms, hail, floods, drought and pesky deer.
BUT thriving requires continuous care, attention and work. It requires working through situations that we did not create or ask for.
As Marcus Aurelius wisely notes, "Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.”
Thriving is not allowing external events beyond our control to shape our success. Not an easy task - but a foundational mindset to cultivate in 2024.
Thriving is the culmination of restoring and establishing. By watering, fertilizing and weeding we can craft our own story of personal growth and success.
2023 has brought many storms, forest fires, and floods. Conflict and division around the global and in our own communities. We cannot fix everything that is wrong in the world, but we can influence our sphere of influence.
My goal for 2024 is to restore, establish and thrive inspite of all that confuses me in our world today.
Posted by Janet Scott on
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