Happy Garden, Happy Home

Looking out the window, I see Old Man Winter. Where I am in the Himalayas, snow-capped mountains lace the horizon and cold temps drape the valley. The weather change caused the gardens that surround many homes and fields to go dormant. With our hands idle with outdoor work, the days shortened, and cold and snow moving in we look for things to do indoors.

Just a little over two weeks ago, I brought my plants indoors. Now they smile at me inside my home as they absorb the warm winter sunshine coming through the windows. Old windows and mirrors offer indoor ambiance and outdoor rustic finishes. I have used both in my gardens and find they add a depth to the greenery and color. In preparation for spring, you might consider a window or door for your outdoor space. For creative ways to decorate using mirrors and windows check out this website.

Maybe you are reading this for the first time, and you think gardens are a lot of work and why on earth would I add anything more to make more work for me. You would be right in that they are work, but research shows they are good, no, great for our wellbeing. Our lives can mirror the growth we observe in a garden and offer a door out of dormancy and into a fuller life. Here is just one article among many where doctors prescribe gardening for one’s health.

Whether we reflect while looking into a mirror in the garden or within the garden of our heart, this ‘look back’ over our lives, if done prayerfully, can add growth and prevent continued weeds. For example, every year at the end of December into the new year I use those last few days to reflect on different areas of my life. Here are some questions I find helpful.

1.       What about myself do I need to change from this year?

2.       What do I need to let go of that is hindering me from achieving my goals and dreams?

3.       What do I need to take into the next year that I have omitted this year?

Your questions may be different. Regardless, taking time to take care of your outer and inner garden helps you be a better you, which in turn helps you help others. So, what will it be, a window or a mirror?

Until next time, remember, the heart of the matter is a matter of the heart.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Dr. Michele