Wisdom Blooms

I have said before that I have the privilege of a little cemetery where five generations of my family are buried. I plant flowers each year at two stones and then water regularly. There are about ten stones that have flower beds and when I am there I happily walk around with my quiet thoughts and water all the thirsty annuals. 

Last summer, I got caught up in busy days at work, some camping, some illness and did not get to the cemetery for three weeks. My two beds of flowers were dried out and dead. However, when I looked around the others were alive; they had been watered by people clearly not doing the same as me. I was so saddened that my habit and kind deed had not been returned, and I angrily vowed to only water my own flowers henceforth. 

Here’s the thing though, I know who I am. I know that going to cemetery and walking past those beds in an angry stomp does not serve me well. I know that I enjoy my quiet time walking around contemplating the true meaning of life, talking to my dad, just thinking. I know that all that would be tarnished if I was holding onto this grudge.  After all, what we do for others is not really something of which we keep track so that it can be reciprocated, the doing is the pay off, the peace and the satisfaction it offers to be resolved in the knowledge of who you are, is far more reliable and rewarding than anything others could offer. 

At the end of the day, we all determine our worth, our nature, our way of showing up. Others can make opinions about us that are correct or negative or neutral, it really is not our business and there is little we can do to control the opinions and actions of others. So that just leaves our own selves – we can water, we can fail to  water, we decide. Resist the urge to leave your watering can in the hands of others they can disappoint. Choose who you are and sprinkle that fantasticness all over the place. 

Photo by Felix Mittermeier on Pexels.com