Fruitful intentions
So much effort went into the making of what you see in this picture.
Breaking the earth, planting, watering, treating, weeding.
Although we never spent as much time as we should have in the garden — due to family obligations, work, and a few very wet months — things still turned out ok.
This fruitful environment feels so satisfying. All started with tiny seeds. Add earth, water, sun, and a lot of work, and here’s the result. But that’s just the primary, visible result. The fresh air and contemplative work have fostered seedlings of thought and understanding, which have, in time, matured into progression and accomplishments. My inner soil has been enriched and has started to produce colourful fruit as well. Now is the time to pick them and to decide whether to devour them raw, or bottle them up for later.
It’s a pity fresh fruit doesn’t keep long. I much prefer eating the fruit when it’s fresh, but there’s just too much. Cooking the rest to keep for later is not as satisfying — as if something gets lost. So it is with following up immediately on an exciting idea. Bottling it up for later diminishes its attractiveness, stilling the momentum. The idea is still there, but in a compressed, altered form. And yet, that’s still better than letting the fruit go bad and having to throw it away. Lack of intention leads to spoil.
In this season, we reflected with a few friends on the kind of fruit we produced this year. It was difficult for most to list their achievements or talk of their progression. Not because they hadn’t progressed, but because they had not kept track of what they did. Hence, it got lost.
Just like the abundant fruit which, through lack of intention, went bad and had to be thrown away.
Sure, progression was made, and achievements were accomplished, even though we might not remember. But the unpleasant thought that we didn’t accomplish much — proof : we can’t remember — keeps nagging.
Next year, there’ll be new fruit. Let’s take note as we go. Now is the time to be intentional. Get a notebook. Write down what you accomplish, and how you are progressing. This is your story. Be ready to share it.
