"Stop being so helpless!"
This is what I had to say to myself while on my hands and knees in the garden weeding. I was thinking, "This is my first garden. I don't know what I'm doing. I need someone. I am not good at this. I have no experience. I've never done this. I need someone to tell me what to plant. I need someone to take me to the store and help me buy seeds. Maybe someone should just give me seeds. What if I buy the wrong ones? I need someone to tell me where to plant them. I can't do this. I need someone. Who can help me? Who can tell me what to do? Who can come do this for me.. ??"
I know. You wouldn't think it, but that's what was in the head that day. And it's in there a lot of days. Every time I come up against something I've never done, I want my hand held. .. which is fine, sort of. Unless it stops me from moving forward. And it does. I expect my kids to be willing to potty train and poop and pee in their pants for a couple of weeks while they get their new muscles. I expect Adam to ride a bike, get on a skateboard and go down a ramp... and sometimes I'm a bit of a tyrant. JUST TRY IT! I say. And then mommy-bear all over there in the garden whimpers over seeds and planting and tries to find a way out for herself. I should learn from my kids who have to do new things every day. Unfortunately, once you learn to do something well, trying other things that will guarantee at least some or short term failure... well, it's just not so appealing. I have a friend who couldn't cook. Or wouldn't cook. It's not clear which one it was. But one day, she chose and experimented and tried and threw herself into it. Brazenly. Boldly. Blatantly. .. and now, I might say, somewhat brilliantly.
When I'm good at something and I see someone venture into my realm, I'm very encouraging. "No problem. You can do it. Just like this. Easy. Go for it. Don't be shy." But when I'm venturing into someone else's realm... uh, oh, ah, don't look. Whoa is me. It's so hard. Why is it so hard. Why doesn't anyone help. Where are my people? Waaaaa!
So, here's to gardens and new things. I will take a deep breath, lose the pride, do some research, plant some seeds and see what happens. Here's to not perfection the first, second, third, fourth... 27th time around. Happy gardening.
This is what I had to say to myself while on my hands and knees in the garden weeding. I was thinking, "This is my first garden. I don't know what I'm doing. I need someone. I am not good at this. I have no experience. I've never done this. I need someone to tell me what to plant. I need someone to take me to the store and help me buy seeds. Maybe someone should just give me seeds. What if I buy the wrong ones? I need someone to tell me where to plant them. I can't do this. I need someone. Who can help me? Who can tell me what to do? Who can come do this for me.. ??"
I know. You wouldn't think it, but that's what was in the head that day. And it's in there a lot of days. Every time I come up against something I've never done, I want my hand held. .. which is fine, sort of. Unless it stops me from moving forward. And it does. I expect my kids to be willing to potty train and poop and pee in their pants for a couple of weeks while they get their new muscles. I expect Adam to ride a bike, get on a skateboard and go down a ramp... and sometimes I'm a bit of a tyrant. JUST TRY IT! I say. And then mommy-bear all over there in the garden whimpers over seeds and planting and tries to find a way out for herself. I should learn from my kids who have to do new things every day. Unfortunately, once you learn to do something well, trying other things that will guarantee at least some or short term failure... well, it's just not so appealing. I have a friend who couldn't cook. Or wouldn't cook. It's not clear which one it was. But one day, she chose and experimented and tried and threw herself into it. Brazenly. Boldly. Blatantly. .. and now, I might say, somewhat brilliantly.
When I'm good at something and I see someone venture into my realm, I'm very encouraging. "No problem. You can do it. Just like this. Easy. Go for it. Don't be shy." But when I'm venturing into someone else's realm... uh, oh, ah, don't look. Whoa is me. It's so hard. Why is it so hard. Why doesn't anyone help. Where are my people? Waaaaa!
So, here's to gardens and new things. I will take a deep breath, lose the pride, do some research, plant some seeds and see what happens. Here's to not perfection the first, second, third, fourth... 27th time around. Happy gardening.
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Sue
Sue