Rainy Days

Spring is one of the busiest seasons in my garden. Not only is there winter clean-up, but it’s a race against time to get things moved or planted before the heat sets in. Plants and projects--there’s no end to either! When we set our clocks forward one hour in the Spring, I usually stay outside until dark, working on a trellis or a new seating area, fixing something, or some plant-related. These tasks bring me joy (well, maybe not repairs!), but they take time, my most valuable resource.

 “Get it done, get it done!” is often the repeating mantra in the background of my mind. Unconsciously, I let the demands of the garden dictate my actions.  Unconsciously, I let my love of working in the garden and doing take over.  Is that what I want as the driving force in my life? Definitely not.  As much as I love my garden, it cannot be my first love. There are other things in life that are more important, that need my time and attention, that deserve my time and attention.

Today it’s raining, and that forces me to stop working outside and catch up on some of the inside things that need to be done.  Like writing this article, my taxes, working on a plan for my friend’s landscape, the dishes, researching plants, etc., etc. There I am doing again. Outside or inside, there is so much to DO.

The truth is, it’s hard to stop doing. I have a long list of things that I need to do, and a longer list of things I want to do. The result is the feeling that I’m always behind and will never be “caught up”. I stop a minute to ask myself: Caught up with who, or what?  And who made this list that never ends and inexplicably multiplies? If this endless list is heavy and burdensome, why am I carrying it around like a favorite pet when Jesus said his burden is light? What would happen if most of the things never got done? Is being “caught up” an elusive and pointless goal? Is that really important?

These are questions that deserve my time to think and pray about, and, for that, I must be still.

Thank you, rainy day, for getting my attention. Thank you, God, for rainy days.