Another summer comes to a close this weekend and at the same time, we are in the midst of the full bounty of the summer harvest. Thankfully for us, farmers and backyard gardeners had the forethought last spring to place their tiny seeds carefully into the starter trays, graciously waiting for the sun’s rays to peek from behind the clouds and warm the earth in April and May. It continues to amaze me that from a seed as small as my fingertip, a fruit as large as a watermelon can grow. While it sounds idyllic that one just carefully places the seed in the soil and out pops a delicious fruit, it barely touches the hard work that the grower puts into the plant’s care. Watering, pruning, weeding, staking - these are all tasks that have gone into your juicy, sugary, watery bite of that melon.
In spending time reflecting on the delicious flavors that summer offers and considering all of the work that has gone into each bite, I think about what that may mean for me. If I want to taste that sweetness in my own life, what must I do to sow the seeds now? While I’ve perfected the art of making lists, what is it that I truly want to enjoy out of my life, my practice, my family and friendships next month, next spring or next year? Rather than crossing a task off of my list, what is it that I truly want to sow and reap? How do I make my task list such that each step will help my desire to blossom?
What is your desire? What steps do you need to help make that desire blossom?