The Garden

     Today, I decided to work in my garden. I have placed plants all over the yard in a way that no matter where I am sitting I will be able to enjoy them. It is a delight to see the beauty of its colors, shapes, textures and breathe their aroma. From the distance I noticed that there were some dry leaves, and weeds growing in the flower beds. These invaders distracts the eye and take the attention away from what should be the center of the garden. If I don't take care of this problem the plants will start to die since they have to share the soil nutrients.  
   
     As I was weeding the flower beds I started thinking about my Life Garden. Do I put the same effort in keeping it beautiful? Am I as vigilant to notice when a weed is growing? When was the last time that I weed it out? I can't remember when was the last time that I weed out my Life Garden, so it must have been a long time ago.
   
     We all have weeds in our Life Garden. Instead of chlorophyll producing creatures they present in a different manner. These weeds are labeled resentment, pain, hurt, bad relationships, bad friendships, mean co-workers, bad jobs, domestic abuse, anger, intolerance, etc.
   
     Why haven't I cleaned my Life Garden in such a long time? Am I afraid to not be able to discern the weeds from the good plants? Or perhaps, I don't have the courage to remove the weeds that I have identified?  Maybe I got into that zone in which I reached a false sense of complacency?

     In our Life Garden there are some weeds that are deceiving and they may look beautiful, strong, and have great flowers that temporarily add beauty to our garden but, are they worth keeping them knowing that they are toxic to the rest of the plants in the long term?
   
    Since I don't know how to do it on my own, I am going to ask for help from the Superior Being, the one that planted me in this earth to bloom and produce fruits. I decided to write my own prayer and it may read like this;
                              Dear God, a while back you planted me in this beautiful planet called Earth.

You put me in charge of my life, and I dont' know if I am doing a great job. You gave freedom to make choices, and I am not sure if my choices have been the best ones.

You gave me a Life Garden to watch over.

Some days, I look at it and I don't see it producing the fruits that I was expecting.

At times I notice weeds, and dry leaves. Sometimes severe weather conditions had created chaos and left everything in disarray.
I believe that they are some things in my Life Garden that might be stopping my growth.

I want you to grant me a few tools so I could make my Life Garden beautiful and productive again.

I want to be wise to be able to identify what is negatively affecting my life.  I want to have courage to remove from life those "things: that I identify.

 I want compassion so I could remove those "things" with love.

I want gentleness so I don't remove the good plants while removing the weeds.  

     I want strength so after I have cleaned my Life Garden I could move forward realizing that did the right thing. 

Amen

         When was the last time that you clean your garden?