I am not totally a one trick pony I promise you. I do have other more frivolous  interests as well. Not least among them ... my gardens and nature's creatures. Both provide so much pleasure and enjoyment at those times when I find myself  feeling that there are dark clouds surrounding us  on all sides. I only need to go out into the yard to  very quickly have that erroneous mindset set right.

 How can one possibly be depressed when seeing the beauty and tranquility which nature  provides ? Even the harshest of winter weather can not defeat the beauty which  only hibernates until spring arrives and then bursts forth with the promise that there is a brighter tomorrow which only sleeps until  the sun begins to shine once again. 

We could learn much from nature's lessons. Nothing lasts forever. No hardship can defeat us, not so long as the roots  are sturdy  and the soil is fertile. New life awaits only its time. This time of year is one of those times when I am reminded that with effort and  planning  and a little imagination and faith one can  create an oasis which will restore one's belief in  people and this world  in which we live.

Just as plants need care and nurturing so do those who face the adversities of life. Even the plant which has been damaged by the harshness of the seasons  or the most delicate of nature's creatures can be saved with the proper care. Why does it take us so long to come to the realization that people are really no different ?  Every one of us needs nurturing to  reach our full potential in life. The child who is lonely or unloved and abused becomes the adult  filled with resentment  and  mistrust.  The child who has only seen violence knows no other way. The child who has been loved and well cared for in their formative years blossoms into an adult who will add much to the world around them. But even the adult  carrying the baggage of a past without love or filled with hatred can very often become a productive member of society  with only a helping hand and the kindness and love they so desperately crave. It is  to our discredit that too often in today's world we condemn them without even  trying to extend a helping hand.

 It's true that there are some who  are so diseased  and in whom the damage is so  well entrenched, that  they are beyond help but  I truly believe that no human being is born evil.  Life, like the seasons in nature, can take its toll and  in rare cases the plant is beyond saving as the damage is too extensive. But the majority will overcome the infestations and disease if only the right nutrients are introduced into their environments. The key is in cultivation.  To simply decide they are beyond redemption and to  discard them to a compost heap filled with like minded souls is to invite  the proliferation of that sickness which will ultimately infect everything around them.

 I only need to look at my garden to know that very few plants will not respond to the effort I make to see that they are given a chance to flourish with the most beautiful of blossoms as my reward. People are really no different. We all have the capacity within us to  grow if the soil is rich and the sun is warm. It only takes the assistance of soft rainfall to unleash the nourishment  the root system requires in order to feed the plant.  Why are we so reluctant to realize this when it comes to our fellow man? Bulldozing the garden destroys any chance that the  full potential of the  bounty of nature will ever be achieved. What you are left with when you do this is dirt. Devoid of any life and an invitation to the seeds of every noxious weed which the wind carries it's way. Given the chance those weeds will multiply and  in time they will overrun and dominate the landscape.

 It is no different with people.   I do so wish we would take the more positive approach. Bulldozing may seem like the only solution but in reality it is giving up.   Why not opt for the blossoms instead ? It takes a lot of effort and maybe even a lot of aches, pains, and blisters at times ... but the rewards are definitely worth it.