Secret Garden

Another lovely quote from "A Thousand Gifts"

"Both abundance and lack exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend...when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present - love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature and personal pursuits that bring us pleasure - the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience Heaven on earth."  - Sarah Ban Breathnach 

So, I know what I should do: Tend the pretty garden!  The secret garden of peace and happy flowers - tend it by being calm, smiling in my small adversities, and not freaking out at the kids over the mole hills they keep making everywhere.  "This is not Valley Forge!"  Now, putting what I know into practice ... ah, therein is the glitch where I am more than often lacking. Can I remain calm and see the beauty/innocence/mole hill when a glass plate shatters, when sticky juice is spilled, and when smiley face people are drawn in books, on walls, and on the carpet.  (Lily's little drawing below)

I usually don't remain very calm.  I vent as I clean.  It usually doesn't take long, but I still have a long way to go to make my happy garden pretty and I need to just ignore the Crazy Garden where there is mud, messes, and weeds galore - why do I fertilize and tend that garden?  Don't do it self!  Only the happy garden.  It's work, it's  a conscience choice.  I want to make that choice and not react to the weeds as often as I do.  Well, the baby's crying... "children's music, oh how sweet!" Gotta go.