The Corner of Spirit & Brave

I WILL PLANT AGAIN

6/28/2020

I went out to water my garden. I use the word, garden, loosely.
It is a dog pen that the former owners built on the back of my garage.
I have repurposed it to be a tiny garden area just big enough for green beans, carrots, spinach, and if I am lucky a tomato plant. At a time when the entire world seems off-kilter, it has become my little 12 x 8-foot corner of happiness. I love to watch things grow. It gives me great joy to remind my husband that the tomato in his salad was grown by me!

The fence around it keeps the deer out, but the bunnies and gophers have no problem sliding under it to enjoy, what they believe to be, their personal delicacies. To stop them, I have built up rocks around the perimeter and adorned it with flags and brightly colored whirling flowers. This has worked well until now.

That morning as I happily walked through the garage and opened the door that leads directly into the garden my happiness was squelched. One day before, I had three pretty rows of green beans, some feathery carrot tops, and a row of radishes. The carrot tops and radishes had vanished and half a row of beans had morphed from a flourishing line of green to single sticks stripped of their leaves. I didn’t know if it had been a bunny or a gopher that had filled their tummy, but I was angry. I instantly began silently spewing unkind thoughts in my head about these little varmints. It takes A LOT to get me angry, but this did it. They had invaded my private sanctuary.

I watered what was left and headed out for my morning walk. The area where I live is quiet with sprawling lots and wide curving roads. Typically, this is a peaceful time for me, but I couldn’t get the vision of my pitiful garden out of my mind. It is amazing how anger can push movement. I walked faster and faster. And then, in the middle of the road, I had to dodge to the side to keep from stepping on the body of a little gopher. It startled me and my anger went to sadness.
I walked on thinking about how many times I had watched these little creatures’ jet across the road in front of a car, their tiny legs moving faster than seemed possible.

Not more than 15 minutes further on my walk it happened again. This time it was a bunny in the road. My heart sank. I will admit to being more partial to the bunnies than the gophers. I watch them in the spring do their Cirque du Soleil act and sunbathe in my yard. I delight in naming the new babies and watch for them to return the next year.

My walk became slower as I realized the same playful balls of cuteness that I love to watch are also the ones that moments earlier I was enraged at for eating my garden. The shock of seeing the lifeless bodies in the road as I walked also slapped me with reality.
Did I really believe that deep below the earth the bunnies huddled together to conspire against me and my garden?
Did I really believe that gophers were vindictive?
No.
They do what animals (and humans) do- they dig holes to create a safe home for themselves and their families. They hunt and gather to find food for survival. They play and lay in the sunshine. They suffer accidents and loss.

When I sat down to write about this my anger had subsided. I had resolved to plant a few more seeds and salvage what was left of my garden.

As I typed I heard rumbling. The sky turned black opening to a lavish amount of rain and hail. Once again, I opened the door to my garden. The hail poured over my feet. What was left of my garden was now thrashed with more damage than any small animal could cause.

How simple our lives really are. We all want the same thing. To feel safe. To have food and shelter. To have someone to love and care for and love and care for us.
It is an uncomplicated formula.

At times it is easy to accomplish and we find ourselves feeling like a lucky bunny nibbling with joy in a field of fresh bean plants. At times life is difficult and we are slapped with the reality of uncertainty, fear, and loss. The trick is to accept and adapt to what we can’t control and be brave enough to start over.

Next year I will plant again.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Be brave enough to begin again.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pennie Heart to Heart
I WILL PLANT AGAIN

YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to be brave enough to begin again.
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at:
[email protected].
Thank you!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
            All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013-2020 Pennie Hunt
This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.

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THIS IS A GOOD DAY

6/21/2020

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I hugged him, kissed his forehead and said good night.
As I turned to walk away, he grabbed my arm and said,
     “This is a good day, such good day!”

It was a month before he passed away.
On a day that was circled with oxygen levels, medication and a sheepskin covered recliner – the things that became his life toward the end—I marveled at those words.

I looked at him in amazement and smiled at this incredible man. His mind was bright and clear but, it was as though his body was wilting as the determined disease gained control. Even though he knew he was dying, he continued to be grateful and look at life in a positive way.

But that was my Dad, Charlie Hunt.
He was a teacher.
Every day that he walked into his classroom filled with students he felt he was making a difference in their lives. But, outside of that, I am not sure if he knew he was teaching and making a difference with others in the grander classroom of life.

He demonstrated lessons in humility, kindness, dedication, and compassion. Once when I had treated him to a special gift he said,
   “Oh, I don’t need anything this fancy;
       you know we are just simple people.”

My Dad was teaching even in his last days. The final lesson he taught me was that no matter what life brings your way, always remember to begin and end every day knowing
      “THIS IS A GOOD DAY,
        SUCH A GOOD DAY!”

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all live life as simple people who celebrate every day in this way?
                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie's Life Lesson-
“No matter what life brings your way, begin and end every day knowing ~
  THIS IS A GOOD DAY,
SUCH A GOOD DAY!"
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to enjoy every moment of every day... you never know how many days you will have. Every day IS a good day!
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at:
[email protected].
Thank you!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
            All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013-2020 Pennie Hunt
This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.

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WHY DIDN'T I

6/14/2020

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Her nail polish was cheerful turquoise.
It matched the bright, happy color of her headband, however, everything between the nail polish and headband spoke of sadness.

Her teenage shoulders were bent from weakness as if they had carried years of stress. Her blue eyes rarely connected with mine as she took my order and prepared my sandwich.

It was a quick lunch stop for me as I was driving home from a speaking event.
In. . . and . . . out.
That is what I wanted.

It was late in the afternoon and only hunger could interrupt my determination to get home.

A fast sandwich and then back on the road.
I paid her, thanked her and hustled away with my lunch.

The whole time her despair was knocking on my heart’s door saying,
“Help, Help, let me in!”

I ran through the rain to the safety of my car and began the drive again. With every bite I took and every mile I drove I thought of her.

The knocking was still there.
The heaviness of her sadness.

The guilt grew with every swish of my windshield wipers. Guilt for keeping the words I wanted to say to her inside… beating them down deep into my throat because I didn’t want to take the time.

My mind was going faster than the speed limit with thoughts of ~

Why didn’t I?
Why didn’t I talk to her?
Why didn’t I ask about her day, her family, her life?

The shop was slow, I could have taken the time to talk to her, to help her, if only by showing I cared.

Why didn’t I?

How many times have I done this- missed an opportunity to help a stranger, or even someone close to me?

The heart knocks happen in small ways.
A word. A look. A feeling.
They are easy to miss and easy to ignore.

And yet, it is so easy to take a moment to smile, to ask, to give words of encouragement or a hug.
It’s so easy to let someone know you care.

Life lessons are hard to learn.
Especially when you miss the opportunity and there isn’t a “do over.”

This is one I won’t forget
Her turquoise sadness I won’t forget.
Next time I feel that knocking on my heart from someone in need, I will take the time.

Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Never miss a chance to care, help and show kindness. Never miss a chance to love.”

YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to pay attention to times when you can help, say a kind word, or show you care. Take the time.
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at:
[email protected].
Thank you!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
            All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013-2020 Pennie Hunt
This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.

0 Comments

I WILL PLANT AGAIN

THIS IS A GOOD DAY

WHY DIDN'T I

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