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DAVID BENTLEY'S WEEKLY COLUMN

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WISTFUL WEEDING

Someone I know recently bought a home with several whimsically shaped gardens and a stone walkway that meanders through them from the street to the front porch. Unfortunately the gardens have not been well tended. They are overrun with masses of clover and four foot high clumps of grass. So I agreed to help with the weeding.

Manned with my trowel, garden fork, and weed puller, I boldly approached one of the gardens for my attack. Sitting on the lawn, I carefully searched the area directly in front of me for plants to be kept. Delving into the mass of vegetation with my hands, I was immediately reminded of my favorite geography professor who once told us in class that the definition of a weed is a plant that is growing where it is not wanted.

Identifying both the plants that were wanted and the plants that were not wanted in this garden, I began removing the unwanted ones. Gradually a rhythm developed wherein I pulled up the clover, spaded the soil between the keepers, and used the fork to extract the remaining weeds and their roots from the dirt. Moving from one small section of the garden to the next, I was lulled into a meditative state and lost all sense of time.

A mere three hours later, I had completed weeding about a third of the garden. I was dirty, sweaty, and feeling some muscles I don't normally use. Yet I didn't have any particular memory of what I had been doing or thinking. It was as if my mind had been put into neutral and my body had gone on auto pilot.

Although I still cannot recall the details of my gardening adventure, I slept well that night. Now I actually look forward to my next bout of wistful weeding.

  • What activities cause you to loose track of time?

  • Do they put your mind into neutral and your body on auto pilot?

  • Are you more relaxed and able to sleep better afterwards?

  • When will you next allow yourself to participate in these activities?

© 2003 David Bentley

David Bentley, M.Ed. & Personal Coach, coaches clients through the game of life, helping them find balance, clarity of direction, and purpose in an ever-changing world.

You may contact him at 360.378.8436

by e-mail at david@coachbentley.com

or visit his Web site: www.coachbentley.com

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