Once there was a little gardener who wanted to plant a beautiful garden. She dreamed of a white fence around her carefully planned and cultivated space with vibrant flowers to bring joy each day. The first plant she chose turned out to be a cactus. It was strong and interesting and she tended lovingly to its needs. Sometimes she got pricked by the spines, but she tried to avoid them and worked diligently to water it and keep the garden soil around it soft and healthy.
As the cactus grew stronger, its spines grew longer and sharper so that the little gardener could not get very close to it without getting jabbed. Whenever she tried to touch it or work close to it, she would get scratched and she would bleed! The gardener was disappointed but Brave and kept driving toward her dream; so while she continued to care for the cactus, she planted other plants in her garden and experienced enough joy from them to dry some of her tears. but the cactus became more demanding and began to speak gruffly. "This is MY garden! Water me and feed me! You are a stupid gardener to put time into other things!"
Although the little gardener tried to be faithful, she noticed that the cactus grew bigger and bigger until the spines were unavoidable, even piercing her other sweet little plants from time to time, and making them bleed too.
She struggled to be the best gardener she could, she tended her other plants lovingly, enjoying each one to the fullest and making as much room as possible for the dominating cactus to grow and thrive; but one day after being pierced to the heart by the cactus, she looked in the mirror and saw that she was covered with scars and festering wounds. Realizing that, no matter what she did the cactus continued to shred and accost her, she decided to transplant her garden to a safe place while she still could. The cactus was angry and shouted, "what are you doing? You are ruining MY garden!" and as she began to transplant her other flowers, she felt frightened that they might not live through it even with her great love and careful tending. She kept working and soon had them in new soil, away from the cactus. Even though her little plants became a bit droopy and weak, she worked even harder to take good care of them and soon they began to settle into their new ground and flourish.
The cactus did not like an empty garden and shouted, "Come back! Tend to me, or I will die!" it tried to reach the little gardener, and sometimes the spines would prick against her back as she worked in her new garden, but she kept her distance hoping the cactus could still live on its own. The cactus stretched so hard that its tough, outer skin cracked a bit and some nectar burst through and caused the cactus to shine in the sun. The little gardener was happy to see it shine. The nectar drew a flutter of bees and colorful moths around the cactus but it still shouted at the little gardener, "See, I am great and shiny - What is wrong with you? Can't you see my shinny nectar?"
She wanted to, but when she looked she only saw the spines and remembered her wounds and pain. With many tears, the little gardener threw herself into her new garden and it began to thrive beneath her diligence. Her Honeysuckle Vine filled the atmosphere with sweetness and she rested in its shade. Her Daffodil was strong and bold, though its beauty was seasonal - she looked forward to those seasons and cultivated the ground for more bloom time. Her Chrysanthemum was robust and hardy, producing many blooms from spring to frost, a constant joy. And her little wild rose, although rambling, brought her much laughter and filled her heart with peace and song.
Then the cactus reached again, stretching itself even more and a beautiful flower burst forth; then another. "I have flowers!" the cactus shouted. "Can't you see the flower I have for you? Come here and pick them so we will be happy." The little gardener peered through the mist, trying to see the flowers but she still saw the sharp piercing spines and remembered her scars and wounds; she knew that the flowers may be there, but were buried under a mob of sharp spines and anyone that tried to experience the beauty of the flowers would first be pierced with the poison of the spines. The flowers were too little - too late, and she shivered to think of them, glad she was far from the cactus reach.
The gentle voice of the Master Gardener came through the mist and said, "Do not cry; give your cactus to Me and let it go. I will take it from you - you are no longer responsible to help it grow and thrive. The cactus is my job now. Take all your energy and love and continue to grow the garden I gave you and plants that thrive in your care. I will provide for you, so you can provide for them."
So she did; the sun came out, and her wounds began to heal. She began to learn about resting and peace with no spines poking her in the back. It was the beginning of a new day.... not the garden she started with, but a new beautiful version she could grow forever. She kept the knowledge in her heart to share someday "the truth about Cactus Spines", but for now her small flowers needed tending. She was their everything - and they were her pure joy!
The End... (and the beginning!)
A life story for you to ponder.... make of it what you feel you must. Ingest the truth and freely own the message if you can. Life is not easy, but we do not have to stay in a prison of pain and sorrow... You are not obligated to tend to ungrateful toxic environments just because you planted in that garden.
