posted 5 years ago
The last few weeks have been busy. I've planted nearly 300 trees, started digging new garden beds, began mulching old areas, started planting new pollinator and nitrogen fixing plants in the food forest, and on and on... As I was planting trees this morning, I realized at some point, I had made some kind of mental shift. I used to think "I really need to get my garden planted" or "I have to get those potatoes in the ground". When I planted trees, I would be thinking "It's going to take me hours to get all these trees in." At some point, consciously or not, my thinking shifted. Now as I'm planting trees, I go slower. I don't have that feeling of needing to rush to get it done. The fact is, I don't ever have to plant another tree if I don't want to. Ever. I have 80 acres of trees. I have dozens of edible trees. I'm still going to plant trees, because that's what I want to be doing. Rather than feeling rushed now, I'm enjoying the process. It does take hours to plant 50 or 100 or 200 trees. That's okay, I'm doing it because I want to be doing it. I don't need to. I realize that now, I plant trees and gardens from a place of joy. Slowing down and doing it with intention brings me peace and calm in a world of chaos. It's exciting seeing a seed sprout, the first buds on a new tree, the new growth on a tree I planted and watched grow. I would urge everyone, if you are approaching any of this with a feeling of being rushed and having to get it done, take a moment and remember why you are doing this. It really is as easy as being in the moment and realizing that you are doing something because you want to be doing it. If you approach planting with a feeling of joy and gratitude, the effort of it no longer matters.
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