My new home is having an effect on me. I love it. I like to preen over it, make it pretty.<\/p>\n
The garden especially is satisfying. I think about it, and read about different sort of plants I could have. I trim the ones I have and water and have even fertilized them.<\/p>\n
One friend was amazed, “This is a side of you I’ve never seen!” she said.<\/p>\n
Hm. Good point. I’ve not been such a homebody. I’m usually reading or thinking or being away, looking at things.<\/p>\n
But this home has been a big change. It makes me happy, and I am always full of projects I want to do. People tell me that happens when you become a homeowner. But the condo, my first owned home, did not have that effect on me.<\/p>\n
Probably because it did not have a garden.<\/p>\n
That rung a bell for me. I remember a book that talked about leaving adventures behind to take care of your garden.<\/p>\n
Candide<\/em> by Voltaire, it is. A short little story I’ve never forgotten, mostly because of the pope’s daughter who only had one bun because her set was divided by cannibals.<\/p>\n It was this book, meant to be a philosophical treatise, that talks about tending your garden. I read it again, because I am so into my garden right now.<\/p>\n It is more profound than I remembered, having read it the first time as an assigment for my very first college literature class. That was a great class!<\/p>\n But, now that I am a bit older, I can see his point.<\/p>\n Candide roamed the world in search of happiness, basically. And, I, for a long time, have been hitting the streets to check outwhat the world has to offer.<\/p>\n In the end, Candide realizes that you make your own happiness. That you cultivate it, you tend it, and it grows or dies based on what you do.<\/p>\n I guess I’ve come to some similar conclusions. I am happy to be in a place tha tis furthe away from the “streets”. My suburban town has lanes, rather than streets.<\/p>\n And, I am ready to take charge of my own happiness. I am fairly confident that I’ll be able to grow it myself. There will be troubles, but I will be ale to weather them and keep my happiness well-rooted.<\/p>\n I must cultivate my garden.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My new home is having an effect on me. I love it. I like to preen over it, make it pretty. The garden especially is satisfying. I think about it, and read about different sort of plants I could have. … Continue reading