“I saw that the universe is not composed of dead matter,
but is, on the contrary, a living Presence....all things
work together for the good of each and all; that the
foundation principle of the world, or all the worlds,
is what we call love, and that the happiness of each
and all is in the long run absolutely certain.”
- Richard Maurice Bucke
One of my favourite things about growing a garden is the absolute abundance that flows from mid-summer to well into the fall. To garden is to know true wealth.
If you garden, you find there is more than enough for your own needs. You find that nature loves life, and that Mother Earth loves it when we share her gifts. If things go well, you will have to share just to keep up and not let food go to waste.
Even if you are eating as fast as you can, plus canning, freezing, and drying, you will still have opportunities to share with others. I can't think of a better gift than vegetables freshly harvested from the soil.
Last weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving, so I picked a few veggies from our raised bed garden (with gratitude on my mind), washed them up, then arranged them in a basket. I walked over to our neighbours, had a chat, and dropped off the gift.
A few days later Linda and I spoke with our neighbour, and she mentioned the veggies. She said that they looked so good that she used them for the centrepiece for her table during her family's feast that night.gar
She particularly liked the results of my adventures in garlic braiding, saying that they were "too beautiful to eat". I loved that she loved the fruits of my labour.
Sharing is natural. And it feels good. That is what I wanted to share with my simple living friends today, wherever on this wonderful planet you happen to be gardening. Or thinking about gardening. Or sharing.
Sharing is so much better than hoarding. It builds relationships. It differentiates simplicity from poverty. It recognizes the needs of the present rather than the worries of the future. It has faith that we will get through the future together.
ReplyDeleteOh I love this idea of sharing. I'm contemplating my garden for next year, having had a particularly failing year (inexperience) this year. Next year will be better. I am getting the beds ready for fall, and they will be ready for planting in the spring. Your simple truths about a simple way of living are so encouraging. Thank you. Always.
ReplyDeleteThere couldn't be a more beautiful and fitting centerpiece! We took note on the Canadian Thanksgiving, saying it was at a more appropriate time in the season than the one in the USA. I believe wholeheartedly in giving thanks for the abundance of the Earth. I'm conflicted about the colonialism that brought about the first Thanksgiving here in the US. But it does mark the sharing of resources that allowed a people to survive, even if they did later annihilate the indigenous people who were so generous.
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