Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary.... How does your garden grow?

Tending to relationships is much like tending to a garden.

In order for a garden to flourish and grow, you need to care for it.  You need to water it, fertilize it and sometimes pluck the weeds.  In return, the plant will (hopefully) bloom and grow and produce good fruits to be enjoyed.

Some gardens may need more care than others for sure, but you would you completely neglect your prize rose garden for that new tomato plant?

If a garden is not tended to, the plants and flowers can wilt - and even die.

How awful would it be for your if you've moved years of concentration and effort from your prize rose garden onto that new tomato plant, a plant that only flourishes for a bit, gives it's fruit & dies and then your roses begin to wilt?

You've neglected your roses thinking ... they'll be fine.  I ALWAYS tend to them.  Then after a while, you realize that your once strong and healthy roses now have aphids and browned petals.  Their bloom is no longer as full.  The once prize winning roses that you've spent years and years tending to and loving are now in such great need of care you don't even know where to begin.

What's important?  Where is your time best spent?

Gardens are much like friendships and other relationships - they require constant work in order to bloom and grow.  To reap the fruits of the good times and happy memories.

All too often I see people neglecting their relationships.  Taking them for granted, as if they're a given.  Not just marriages - but friendships & family relationships too!

It's a constant give and take.  The good, the bad and the ugly.

It's not always going to be sunshine & flowers.  There will always be periods of rain and sometimes real storms.

Sometimes the rain is important - not every care taker can water every garden at the same time and some gardens need more attention than others.

It's about preparing for the storms.  Caring for all your relationships in a way that they are able to withstand the coming storms.  You may not always be able to protect every single plant from the storm, but I'll bet the ones you've given the most to will endure and remain strong, while others will fade away.

So, Mary, Mary...How DOES your garden grow?  With silver bells & cockle shells & pretty maids in a row?

Or, do you need to tend to your garden so it can endure the storm?

Thank you for reading my blog!

~Jenn

...if tomorrow never comes, will they know how much you love them?

In loving memory of Gary