Approximately 5 years ago, I set out to address my mental health by embracing the practice of gardening. A complete novice to the hobby, I studiously absorbed articles online, diligently watched videos, and consulted with friends who also enjoyed the fulfilling practice. I completely overhauled my front yard, as I carefully selected an array of perennial flowers to reduce the yearly maintenance of replanting. My guiding principles for performing any task are governed by patience and attention to detail. And so, amongst my groups of flowers, I planted some Asiatic Lilies because I loved their vibrant color and blooms.
For years, my lilies flourished every spring and summer unscathed – until this year. To my utter dismay, I discovered my newly budding lilies chomped down to the core. I am not going to lie; it was a punch to the gut. Panicked, I scoured the Internet for possible solutions and reached out to friends for answers. The information I received varied. Depending upon the damage, either the stems would still grow or perhaps a few blooms could be coaxed out of the botanical wreckage.
Well, to my delight, my lilies have showcased their resilience and are fighting to put on their seasonal floral display. It all started 5 years ago in my garden. Meticulously plucking out stubborn weeds, replacing the dirt with new nutritious garden soil & manure, digging holes as the sun beat down on my sun hat, and dropping in my beauties with some plant food. The fountain was solid. The work was detailed and performed with patience. And despite the setback, they will be blooming in all their glory.
Sometimes in life, we will face adversity that will seemingly chew us down to the core. We may believe that we may never recover; we may never be the same person again. Well, allow my Asiatic Lilies to be a meaningful metaphor made for that moment. Because, if we have lived enough life to understand, adversity is all but guaranteed to challenge how we feel about ourselves. Nevertheless, when your foundation is strong, your core principles stout, you will always have the opportunity to reemerge victorious – perhaps even better than before. Sometimes, the setback is the setup for the comeback. I will be sure to check back when my lilies have showed up and showed out – just like you will in your personal journey.
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Well, it would appear that Old Man Winter has relinquished his seemingly perpetual, frosty grip on the temperatures outside – at least here in Michigan. Sure, every few days, he will stage a futile resurgence with a couple of nippy days thrown into the mix, but the picture is crystal clear; spring is an inevitability. And so, on those warm days that call for appreciation of nature, the seasonal spring yard clean-up is a necessity. Now, sprucing up one’s yard involves a lot of dirty work. Dethatching the lawn, trimming back dead flowers, removing animal waste (we have a ton of deer), and pulling these gangly monstrosities (pictured above) from the surrounding area. Ah, yes, the dandelion weed. I swear, in the event of a nuclear holocaust, I declare that only roaches and these unsightly plant aliens will stubbornly survive.
The Gentlemen's Standard 