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Sunday, October 2, 2011

Transplanting....

"Imagine transplanting a flower or bush to a new location so it can grow healthier and stronger. For this to successfully occur, you have to dig up the plant and sever its roots. There’s an initial shock to the system, but planted in its new surroundings, it extends new roots and eventually establishes itself more firmly than before. And the hole that’s left behind can be filled in with fertile soil ready to nurture new opportunities. " Linda Lowen, About.com - Women's Issues

I came across this quote when I was doing internet searches for empty nest material. More than any other quote I've seen, this one is the most appropriate for my purposes.

During the years I was an avid gardener, I transplanted a plethora of plants, flowers, vegetables, you name it, to other locals to either get them more sun, soil that was richer, or to change the ph balance of the root system to develop new colors in things like azalias and snowball bushes. I was an expert at knowing where the best soil and light was for a particular flower or plant. For a time, the transplanted item suffered a shock from being uprooted and placed into an alien situation. But with vigilent attention and care, the roots did indeed start to grow and flourish in the new environment. The end product being healthier, more vibrant, and more abundant foliage and vegetable growth.

With time, diligence and attention, my transplantations were successful. So when I read the above quote I realized that having your children go off and "leave the nest" can be an analagous situation.

You've put all the time, care, watering, feeding and fertiziling into their upbringings, with the hope that they will be able to go off into the world and develop strong and lasting roots for themselves. You've nurtured them, educated them, tended to them and been gentle and loving to them, with the hope that one day they will foster and grow abundantly on their own. WHen the time comes to uproot themselves, you know it will be a shock to their system - and yours as well- but with all the care, cultivation, and love that you've put into them, they can spread themselves out in a new environment, take hold, root and thrive. And you can be rewarded by seeing that and knowing you had a major hand in causing it.

Having said all that, I'll take this time alone I now have and start the planning for my spring vegetable garden.