Sow Many Seeds
How My Garden Revealed What Was Missing
The end of this winter season feels near—despite today’s weather, which fluctuated between flurries and freezing rain. Although the bulbs are beginning to emerge from the ground, I am trying to maintain a balanced "anticipating spring" mindset, despite usually being an early adopter of spring fever. I am preparing for more winter while simultaneously putting things in place for the upcoming spring.
We have tapped our sugar maple trees, and I have started our first seeds (onions, peppers, and some slower-growing herbs such as rosemary), with much more to come!
Since moving to our rural farm, I have come to relish these seasonal tasks that keep me connected to nature, serving as physical reminders of time in motion. Engaging in these new hobbies provides my mind with the space to wander. As I immerse myself back into the world of seeds, I can’t help but contemplate the seeds we sow in our personal lives.
Much like my intentions to plant a wide variety in my gardens, I have begun to reflect on how I sow seeds in my personal life. Am I planting various seeds to encompass my diverse interests and connections, or am I choosing a "mono-crop," focusing solely on one narrow aspect of my life? Perhaps it's time to branch out a bit more. What about you?
When it comes to your personal "garden," are you planting a wide assortment of seeds, or are you stuck in a "mono-crop" mindset? If your time is predominantly spent in one area, ask yourself what aspects of yourself you might be leaving behind.
Life is multi-dimensional, and nurturing all the essential elements of your identity will lead to a greater sense of peace and ease. How you spend your time will shape the life you lead.
When we moved to this farm, it opened up a new world for me, nourishing parts of myself that had long been ignored. As a teen and young adult, I spent a lot of time in Northern Ontario as a Junior Ranger and tree planter. The expanse and wildness of the land became an essential part of who I am. As an adult, a young mom, and a business owner, I always felt the pull to get out of the city and experience nature’s spaciousness up close. The farm has now given me this every day.
But the reality is, another side of me is an artsy, gritty city girl who is inspired by galleries, music, creative thought, and deep conversation. This has been harder to fulfill while living rurally.
Remember, we choose what is important to us. We choose what we value. And we choose the measuring sticks with which we measure our worth.
Invest in yourself across a wide range of areas. If you love music, attend concerts. Learn to play an instrument. Share your knowledge with others.
If you travel, immerse yourself in the culture. Learn a new language. Connect with new people.
Make time for both old and new friends. Be open to expanding your social circles by joining new groups or investing in your community. Get involved in something—sports, fundraising, starting a side business, going back to school, volunteering. Expand your hobbies to engage in all parts of yourself.
Take time off to rejuvenate. Practice meditation. Get to know yourself.
Now that my life has settled on this beautiful acreage, I know it doesn’t fulfill every part of who I am. It has given me so much of what I was missing, yet I also recognize the need to seek out the other side of myself. Just as I once longed for the spaciousness of nature, I now feel drawn to weave in more time with the vibrant energy and creativity of the city and then return to the farm to rejuvenate (shouts the introvert in me)!
My takeaway is to invest in all the facets of who you are. Sow a myriad of seeds, and watch as the garden of your life grows in abundance.