Last evening as I was in my garden watering and tending to my plants there was this reddish light around me, it was dusk already and I was surprised by the color of the light. I looked up only to see the sky painted in radiant colors. My garden is on the second floor terrace and all around me there are tall apartments and its is not often that I get to see the beauty of the sky. Once in a while I get to witness such beauty.
Today as I share my thoughts with you I also share with you images of plants and flowers in bloom right now in my garden. I will also share with you images of sunsets from a few years ago.
I don't know about you but watching the sunset and the birds at sunset used to be my major entertainment before we moved in to our new home. Sunset used to be the time of day for me to recollect my thoughts, pray, meditate, practice gratitude as I watch the day come to an end.
To the east and west of our new home we have tall buildings which block out the sun, so I hardly get to watch the sun rise or sunset these days. I just pray, reflect and do almost the same things as I work in my garden now. I have many more things to be grateful for now. Just take a look at the plants and flowers in my garden and you'll know why. I only hope to be a good steward and take good care of the plants in my care.
I often think of life as an opportunity to serve everything that serves us. Life isn't about 'me', its about what I as an individual can do for nature, for people, for the air I breathe, the water I use etc. If only we approached life in this fashion imagine how fertile the Earth would be, how loved would people around us would feel, how wisely we would use our resources while ensuring the purity of the air, the water and the environment.
About a year ago I asked a couple of my neighbors to grow plants. I provided them with beautiful plants that they could easily care for, while they accepted the gifts joyfully the plants didn't survive for long. I made another attempt with the same people again, they declared that they have brown thumbs and just refused to take up the challenge. These same people claim that I have magical fingers which grows everything and admire my garden. There is no magic in my fingers, just the commitment and the belief that the little things we do could make a tiny bit of difference to our beautiful Earth.
These same people spend huge amounts of money to go on nature treks. If only we could grow a few plants in our gardens we could make the place we live in a haven of nature in the middle of the city. Just having a bunch of coleus, colorful and easy to grow is enough to make you heart dance with delight even on a stressful day.
You don't have to run a marathon to save the Earth or race all over the country on a Harley Davidson to save the rivers, just do the little you can everyday. You won't just make the the earth a beautiful place but you would make your life meaningful and happy.
Taking a stroll in my garden makes me as happy as going on a holiday. The refreshing that comes each morning as I see my plants blooming, in the fullness of life gives me the satisfaction of having created something beautiful. I get the same happiness as I get when I complete a painting or a art work.
Bringing a plant to life from a seed could be our most valuable contribution to nature. While I love to paint I find making a plant bloom at home is much more satisfying than a lifeless painting hanging on a wall. This doesn't stop me from painting, I am just saying that seeing a live plant in bloom is worth a hundred paintings of nature. These are just my thoughts of course, you don't have to subscribe to them.
Looking at the birds happily flying about is so much much more beautiful than a painted bird. These birds are a sign that all is well with our world. That the nature around them is thriving and is conducive to their feeding, nesting and breeding habits. What a great indicator that all is well with the world we live in.
We just need to remember that as stewards of the Earth we share our space with animals, birds, plants and other living things. Life isn't about living in the biggest house with all the greatest amenities, none of these make us happy. It's the little things in life like a flower or a lady bug that brings smiles on our faces and joy in our hearts.
I hope you like what you saw here. I hope you make a little effort to make this Earth a bit more greener than it is today.
I appreciate your support. Thanks for taking the time to read and support.
All images used in this post were photographed by me.