Our world is having a planetary breather. On an epic scale, people from cities and towns around the world are retreating into their homes. Factories have stopped running, the majority of planes have stopped flying and satellite images of our beautiful planet see clear blue skies for the first time in a long time due to all this inaction. It is a scary time to watch the news too although pretty wonderful to hear about those clear skies!
In another silver lining of sorts, there are some businesses in boom during this time. Nurseries and plant sellers are selling out of seeds and veg seedlings. It turns out that people are turning to plants to help them through! There is an awareness that localising and home growing some essentials lowers reliance on outside forces and people can take real control of at least a small area of their lives.
Growing food, growing anything, and slowing down enough to appreciate the natural forces we live within has a myriad of benefits from both a physical and mental health perspective. I can't think of anything better than being out in this beautiful autumn sunshine, keeping my body moving, getting my hands in the soil and then looking over and seeing the kids doing the same. I just walked passed my son laying on his back on the trampoline looking at the sky. That was all he was doing and what an act of complete calm that is.
Must everything get back to "normal"? Us humans have been doing so much damage to our world and to see our planet bounce back with clear skies after such a short amount of time is heartening to me. Mother Nature has given us a chance to gain real perspective on the harm we cause and may allow us to work along side her again if we start doing a lot of things differently. We are at that crossroads you come across in many a children's fable.
As a grower I have continued to grow. I still sow and transplant and weed and water. The fear will subside around Covid-19. Our kids will be back in school, cafes will reopen and we will visit our grandparents and parents again. I grow flowers because pollinators and birds and all many of creatures need them but also because people need flowers. They are needed in times of celebration but especially in times of hardship. I continue growing so that people will be able to offer flowers as a sign of solidarity to other human beings- what a simple yet powerful act. Flowers will be our companions as we walk back out into the world- an ever present reminder that our world is beautiful and worthy of our care and respect. She will always have the final word after all!
Keep growing x
Comments