"Gardening is therapy for me" is a comment we have heard more than once this spring, not just from avid gardeners, but from people just now getting into gardening as well. Many people first discovered the joy of gardening during time spent at home during the pandemic, and most have stayed with it. One study, in fact, reports that 18 million new people started gardening during the pandemic.
We are still celebrating May as Mental Health Awareness Month, and so it is worth noting the many aspects of wellness that gardening affects. In addition to being good "therapy," it positively impacts one's physical and spiritual well-being and often positively affects relationships and stress resilience as well.
This prompted us to do an informal survey of gardeners in the last few weeks. Here is a list of several things people identified regarding what they are learning through the act of gardening and how it affects their overall well-being.
*I'm learning patience and the ability to delay gratification.
*That planning ahead is both necessary and wise.
*There are factors we can control and many we cannot.
*You literally do reap what you sow.
*Our souls are nourished by creating and growing things.
*Physical labor and time outside are good for my mental health.
*It is good to remember the true source of our food and that food does not originate in a grocery store.
*I'm being reminded of the power of planting and nurturing seeds to create future good.
*The process is as satisfying as the outcome.
*Gardens create community. (shared by a person whose church hosts a garden for their community)
*At the same time, others reported that they love their "alone" time in their garden and that it brings them peace.
* It's amazing and powerful to see what a small seed can grow into with watering and good soil!
*Gardening keeps me humble. (Did you know that the word "humble" is related to the word "humus," which means earth?)
Our informal survey reveals why interest in gardening is…..growing (we couldn't resist that one!) and how beneficial it is to our overall well-being.
Planting and tending seeds may not be the answer to all of life's problems, but applying the lessons we learn from doing so can go a long way in helping us grow our personal well-being and the well-being of our wider communities.
Making It Personal:
If you are a gardener, what lessons have you learned from your practice of growing things?
Looking back over your life, can you see where a seed you planted years ago continues to bear fruit in your life today?
Is there a seed, literal or metaphorical, that you want to plant right now in your life or your community?
*Please note that this weekly column and its weekly companion podcast will return the first Friday after Labor Day. We started this new mental health column and podcast right after Labor Day, 2021, and so this marks the end of our first "season." We will be taking the summer off to plant some new seeds for new projects and to take some time off for vacation.
We thank you for your support and feedback and, most importantly, for being on this journey of well-being together. Have a great summer, and we will see you again in September.