Getting ready for the gardening season is all about anticipation and excitement. It’s about hope and happiness. It’s very life affirming, which I need right now, considering the ongoing wars and other acts of violence perpetrated both by governments and by private individuals. It’s hard to retain hope in the face of these terrible events. At these times, I really struggle to find the words to express what’s in my heart. And, when I find it hard to find the right words to say, I turn to the wisdom of others.
“Too many people are suffering in the world today. Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say there’s a better way.” — Pope Leo XIV
“In the name of God, and in the name of this suffering people… I beg you, I beseech you, I order you in the name of God: stop the repression!” — Saint Oscar Romero (bishop and martyr)
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I still believe, however, that not all hope is lost. I have found hope in recent days in the four Artemis II astronauts, who captured my imagination. I felt that they represent the best of us. Brilliant scientists and pilots with an adventurous spirit who have become close friends. Humble, kind, and giving of themselves. I watched them on YouTube and they gave me a sense that maybe there is something right with this world. They traveled to the dark side of the moon and have seen the vastness of outer space. They have seen the moon up close and the earth from a distance. Our beautiful blue globe doesn’t have borders and divisions and anger. It’s just a beautiful blue globe. That reminds me of April 8, 2024, when I traveled to Cleveland with my family to watch the total solar eclipse. When I put on my eclipse glasses, I watched the moon move in front of the sun. Both the moon and the sun were gorgeous three-dimensional balls, and watching the moon’s movement was absolutely breath taking. Which made this year’s events feel even more wonderful.
The emerging spring also provides me with hope. It tells me that, no matter how badly humans behave, nature is always there to provide that gift of hope. The hope is in the colors of spring and in actually starting a garden more than a month before planting time.
Back in January, I attended a winter sowing workshop, and I sowed seeds in two gallon sized milk jugs. Here is a description of winter sowing that I posted in January: https://sunmoonstarshine.com/thinking-spring-and-sowing-seeds/
Unfortunately, the winds carried off one of the jugs. It was later brought back (by humans) in a disheveled condition. It had been tipped over and the seeds had possibly been lost. But the other jug survived the winter. Yesterday, I noticed that some of the seeds had germinated. I did a happy dance for the babies.
Anna has been busily planting flower seeds and encouraging growth in the community room in this apartment building. I’m an assistant in this project. I help with watering and with turning off grow lights and with planting seeds. These plants are growing and glowing, although they are not ready to be outside. The winter sowing babies have been outside since January, but they are still in the milk jug, which is their little greenhouse, while the indoor babies live in pots on the windowsill+.
Observing the growth of the plant babies serves as a reminder to me of the necessity to nurture and not destroy. It also reminds me that we really can do so much better.
