“Tend to the garden you can touch” -Jack Kornfield

“Tend to the garden you can touch” -Jack Kornfield

In a society led and fixated on so much fear, this is a message of hope…

Our world is in an amplified state. Technology is rapidly increasing. Politics seem at the most corrupt they’ve ever been. Individuals live longer but experience more chronic illness than ever. All of this to say, there’s a lot to be overwhelmed by. Stress is at an all time high. The news feeds us stories of war, economic disaster, and impending doom. I understand how you feel. How do we not get all-consumed by the chaos that surrounds us? How can we make an impact when the fires burning around us are so many and so prolific?

This quote found me a few years ago as I was contemplating these things exactly. One individual cannot stop a war, that is just the reality of the world we live in. Many will take that statement, shift their minds to nihilism, and go about their life in a miserable state. I believe there is something we can do though. We have the power and the opportunity to “tend the gardens you can touch”. When you check out at the grocery store, genuinely compliment the cashiers shirt because you like it. Notice how it shifts their energy. When you’re on the street, genuinely say hello to those you pass and wish them a good day. When you are driving in traffic and get cut off, choose to not give that person the bird because you know it will perpetuate the negativity. If we can consciously try and bring those up around us, those people then go out and bring others up around them. This becomes a ripple that cascades around the world. An elixir of good intentions and genuineness has the potential to do wondrous healing things. Perpetuating the fear and division that media promotes is exactly what “they” want you to do. “They” desire for the information they share to be spread like wildfire. “They” want you to think that because you share a different political party than your friend, you two have nothing in common and no longer should maintain mutual respect.

The truth, though, is that we are all human. We all have internal voices that speak evil, only a small few actually act on it. The truth is that we all want safety, love, and happiness. We all put our pants on one foot at a time everyday. We all have aspirations. We all get into bad moods. We all have unique strengths and unique weaknesses. Humanity is the only species of animal that segregates itself to the point of mass killings in war. It does not have to be that way.

Tending to a garden takes time, care, and attention. First, attention. We must be aware of how we currently show up to those around us. Then, without judging ourselves, we can begin to consciously make small steps to being kinder, gentler people. Second, care. In the same way that you would nurture your small child, or an injured person on the street, bring that same care to every interaction presented in front of you. Third, time. Time is the only resource that we cannot get more of. Life is guaranteed to end. Death is the only constant in life, and yet we resist it so profusely. Instead of resisting death, what if we took full advantage of life? Use each second as if it were your last. Call your family and tell them you love them as if you were going to die tomorrow (because you could). Hug your friend a few seconds longer, knowing that the next one may not be a definite possibility. Stare into your loved one’s eyes, memorizing each facet of their face, truly appreciating the pivotal role they played in your life. Live without regrets.

A garden does not grow without the picking of weeds, the adequate amount of watering, and time bathing in the sun. Change does not happen without you. Focus on your circle and the lives you can influence, that’s how we make the world a better place that our hearts know is possible.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

"If not you, then who? If not now, when?"-Hillel the Elder