• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

Bloom and Grow: Prayerful Lessons for the Change of Seasons

Michie

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Feb 5, 2002
181,542
65,639
Woods
✟5,811,761.00
Country
United States
Gender
Female
Faith
Catholic
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
I’ve noticed how this rhythm of the seasons and the habits built upon them can deeply inform my spiritual life.

Memories of northern Ohio summers at home are vivid in my mind. Throughout these warm months, my mom carefully tended a beautiful garden at our home, and I loved being her little sidekick, taking mental notes as I watched each intentional step. As August turned to September, she gave a little extra attention to her garden beds, being sure to rescue anything that might be kept through the winter. She would harvest what she could and simply savor the rest until the first frost.

I watched my mom employ many practices: cutting flowers for vases while they still bloomed (and always relishing the joy they’d bring all week), saving seeds, drying herbs, picking vegetables to chop and freeze or can. Even though the sun was still high, she was preparing for the months ahead.


As I’ve grown up and learned to practice some of these rituals on my own, I’ve noticed how this rhythm of the seasons and the habits built upon them can deeply inform my spiritual life.

This year, as the days begin to shorten, I’ve started thinking about what to save, what to savor, and what I’ve learned through the process — in both my garden and in my heart.




A Daily Examen



Continued below.