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Today was my first day back in the three 8 foot by 8 foot garden plots that serve as my vegetable garden, working the soil in preparation for later planting. Even in a small space like mine, it takes considerable time and manual labor with my digging fork to turn the dirt after it has settled since we brought in that last bit of lettuce the Fall. No doubt, the years of work we've done previous has made the red clay into a dark brown and healthy loam. The few weeds come out easily, as do the ubiquitous rocks so common here in Maryland. I discard the things that don't belong so that the work of cultivating can begin. As I work, I realize how truly present the wonder of the Gods is around me. Helios, with the help of Apollon, returns from his Winter home in the South and has melted away the heavy snows, warmed the land, and let the spirits of the Land wake and flourish. I can see the hand of Persephone in both the delicate beauty of the March blooms and in the compost heap that slowly transforms my garden rubbish into something with which I can give care and honor to the land. The sense that Demeter waits for the first seeds to be planted is palpable, and I know that when it comes time to make the offerings to the spirits of the land and nature, that they will welcome the remembrance. I'll be honoring Aristaeos with a beehive shaped yard sign I got at the dollar store for a couple bucks. And inevitably, I sense the hand of Eris when my little boy gets in my way and distracts me from my work. Gods be praised; I am blessed. As Spring wears on, I will no doubt become discouraged, annoyed, and bored with the work of my garden. Yet in order to enjoy the delights of it, work I must. In this way, it is much like seeking out and embracing the Mysteries--it is an unending cycle of perseverance, discipline, and passion that lets us enjoy and better appreciate the fruits of our labors. Hesiod spoke of two Strifes. In this time, we can all benefit from the Strife that let us Strive toward our goals, be they personal or within our families and communities. Be it gardening, writing, or any of the myriad ways that we can express it, we can aspire to work a little harder and maybe attain a closer relationship with the Gods. It's not always easy, but at the same time it is through the work of doing, listening, seeking, finding, and enjoying what we have that we find the ways to appreciate the gifts that the Gods give to us so freely. May everyone reading this take the time to look at the world, see the wonder therein, and know that the Great Mysteries are built on the myriad small ones that exist all around us in our everyday lives. Post a comment in response: |
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