Saving the Planet by Trusting Ourselves and creating a wish garden that may get you uninvited to the annual block party

Some days the news is so bleak I can't watch it.

My hubby was getting nosebleeds during the early weeks of the Japan nuclear crisis and we reached a point where we turned it all off.

I felt guilty over this because I do not want to be one of those people who turn from things I do not want to look at - the kind of person who steps over the homeless, avoids looking at the scarred and pushes her own stuff down so deeply that neither years of therapy or a two ton John Deere can unearth it.

(we were thinking - "I just can't go there. It is too hard to look at this stuff. It is too hard to feel this stuff." We put the brakes on.)

These are challenging times (and I am talking about things other than Japan here and many of us are feeling it) - times maybe we will be telling our grandkids about if we are lucky enough to have any. I think we are all here for a purpose, meant to be right where we are, right now.

None of us know what is going to happen. We believe things will get better, but suspect that maybe things will get worse first.

So maybe the greatest, most powerful thing we can do is to simply say, "What the hell, I will go there. I will look. I will feel what I need to feel. I sur­render."

Maybe we don't have to worry about being centered while we are in this place at this time.

If we intend to always be in control we are out of luck. Control is like a box that will never allow us the range of movement that is needed to knock down boundaries and belief systems anyway. Control has always been highly overrated.

My Hindu guru artist friend says to me, "Is the world really collapsing around us? Or is it lift­ing itself around us while everything that stays the same just feels like it is falling?"

Maybe we will know exactly what we need to do, exactly when we need to do it. Maybe we just need to not be afraid to look. Maybe we just need to not be afraid to feel. Maybe we just need to trust ourselves.

I am writing this post on Earth Day after a neighbor asked me what I am doing about my 'dandelion problem' - I told him I'm not sure and he said to me, "well, I thought knowing you, you were probably growing them on purpose"

*sigh*

I do know we are not about to pour toxic chemicals all over the tiny little piece of the planet's skin that we are the caregivers of right now.

I will never understand how a dandelion is any less beautiful than a daffodil.

Maybe there is some organic remedy I could look into or maybe I should wait until they turn into little puffballs and then erect a little fence around my dandelion patch with a sign that reads - blow me.

:)

*never trust a blonde print by franticmeerkat
*dandelion print by briole

10 comments

Ryan Adair said...

I really enjoyed this post. I have been doing yard work for my grandmother, and as I was pulling up "weeds"-- I noticed all the life under my feet and couldn't bare the idea of putting pesticides in their home... I think if people spent more time digging around (literally and otherwise) they would notice the beauty in the "unwanted."

I got rid of my TV a long time ago-- A part of me feels guilty for not wanting to see the madness, but I started to feel myself becoming a more relaxed person that had more happiness to give people. I have started exposing myself more via internet, but since I was separated from the media for so long, it is a lot easier for me not to get wrapped up in the fear mongering.

I love your blog, btw.

peace and love,
ryan

Catherine Ivins said...

thanks Ryan - I love what you write here - "if people spent more time digging around (literally and otherwise) they would notice the beauty in the "unwanted."

yes- the balance between not looking and fear mongering is what we are searching for - my instinct is to turn it off and I usually try to go with my instincts - becoming a more relaxed person with more happiness to give people sounds like the ideal to me ...

xo

Orion Designs said...

While I love this entire post, the dandelion part really speaks to me. I've always found them to be pretty little flowers that brighten up the scenery very early in the season.

We live on 2 1/2 acres of completely natural surroundings -- mostly birch trees, wild roses and willow. I wouldn't dream of clearing some of it out to make a patch of grass. Our neighbors stopped caring about 12 years ago. Good for them.

Cardinal Lane Farms said...

When I lived in the city I had a perfect lawn. Twenty years ago we bought a farm and have a lawn that extends into fields and woods. I don't even attempt to get rid of the dandelions. I knew my daughter saw the beauty of God's handiwork when she stepped outside one morning and exclaimed "I love our John Deere yard". (For those not familar, John Deere is known for it's green and yellow paint color).
Vickie

sherry truitt said...

Those dandelion greens make a mightly fine salad.

I think your friend may have a point about how we view the world, Cat.

I see a lot of adults regressing to childhood behaviors, doing things because other people are doing them. Jumping on the bandwagon because it is easier than beating your own drum.

It's not supposed to be easy. Although following your heart makes it so much better.

xoSherry

Catherine Ivins said...

I don't think this particular neighbor will ever stop caring - we are not the only ones in town with dandelions, but I guess we are the closest house to him and he really doesn't want them blowing onto his grass - maybe I can pick them for salad or wine - ooh a John Deere yard- I love that!

Valerie said...

I've always harbored a secret love of dandelions, and wondered why we couldn't just let them fill up our lawns myself. ;)

(A little tip...we're trying the whole corn gluten weed natural weed control thing this year)

I get a bit of an underlying message in this post to try to turn off a bit of the world's stressers, and take time to appreciate and relax in the small things as well.

stregata said...

I wish people would make less of a fuss about the 'dandelion problems' and more about the real problems.
Love the quote about the world lifting itself...

Alice said...

Thanks for a great post! I rarely watch the news, not because I want to ignore what's going on in the world, but because I have enough stress and trauma in my own life. I'm still aware of the happenings around me as I get snippets of them from hubby, friend, and co-workers. As a family, we help out as much as we can, where we can.

As for the dandelions, hooray for you not wanting to pour more chemicals on the earth. Cancer has hit hard in our family, and even in our little community. You would have to be a hermit not to have been affected by cancer in some way. I watch, and cringe, as our farmer neighbor sprays weed-killing chemicals twice a year just across the road from us. Being on a hill, I imagine this chemical running off to the nearby pond where cattle, geese, and a host of other animals get their water. Growing up we were never allowed to use chemicals, and had the most beautiful dandelion crop around. I say let them stay. I just read a quote regarding dandelions today about one person seeing weeds and another person sees wishes.

Catherine Ivins said...

thanks all- yes, I think we are seeing wishes where others see weeds- I love that Alice