February 1, 2026: The Seeds We Plant
During times of challenge, where every day the news cycle spills out stories of despair, destruction, and heartache, it can be difficult to maintain a sense of hope and positivity. Currently we are either metaphorically and/or physcially in the midst of winter, where the cold and dark can obscure thoughts of any brighter and warmer days ahead. But life, like in nature, is full of changes, some of which we have control over through our choices.
Many years ago, I attended a presentation by Dr. Bernie Siegel, a renowned pediatric surgeon and writer, who spoke about the power of love and the connection between the mind and healing.* One of his suggestions for mainaining emotional and physical health, was to visuialize ourselves as a garden. His reflective questions asked us to think about the types of seeds we planted, what resources did we have that were comparable to the sun, soil and rain, and who helped us to tend it? His conviction was that, as gardeners of our lives, we needed to not only be mindful of the types of “seeds” we planted in our bodies, hearts and minds, but to be aware of the resources we used to tend them. His premise was that we could learn from observing nature, and in particular seeds.
We have the wisdom to nourish our potential and reach for the light. We are capable of growth and have the ability to get through life’s adversities. Even the “compost” in our lives could be better used if we would let it stimulate our growth rather than be buried beneath it. If we pay attention to our inner wisdom and nourish the seed within, there is no telling what we can blossom into during the seasons of our life.
Dr. Bernie Siegel https://berniesiegelmd.com/how-does-your-garden-grow/
The concept of planting seeds can be a powerful metaphor for the choices we make. It can be a seed of an idea leading us to action, all the way to the emotions and thoughts that permeate our states of mind. If we plant seeds and give attention to anger, despair, fear, and hatred, that is what will grow. Doomscrolling on our electronic devices can help reinforce these toxic seeds, encouraging them to grow into resentment towards others. As the resentment grows, our abilities for compasion and empathy diminish. Anger and indiffference to the suffering of others, leads to a loss of community and fuels a sense of both helplessness in the face of adversity and the feelings of divisive isolation. But as hypothetical gardeners of our lives we do have choices.
“The heart is like a garden. It can grow compassion or fear, resentment or love. What seeds will you plant there?”
– Jack Kornfield
In face of all the conflicts our world is currently facing, we not only can choose the emotions and thoughts we want to cultivate and nurture, but once these are blooming, we can choose how to spend our energy to help make our lives, as well as the proverbial community garden, be healthy and strong. While each of us is unique, with our own set of abilities, challenges and resources that impact our lives, each one of us has the power to impact change. We can be like the sun, sending light by sowing simple acts of kindness as we go about our days. We can be the rain, nourishing ourselves and others while washing away the weeds of alienation, cruelty, hatred, ignorance and racism. We can choose the gardners who tend and support our endeavors. And finally, we can make choices in how our beliefs are reflected in our actions.
“Your mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. The harvest can either be flowers or weeds.”
-William Wordsworth
Whenever we plant a garden, the first step is to determine what we want to grow. Take the time to reflect and envision on what you want your garden of life, both personal and in our communities, to be and look like. Consider your resources, from your energy, time and tools, to the “gardeners” who support your endeavors and vision. Seeds, take time to grow, but like with any change, through patience, perseverance and careful choices, as thoughtful gardners, we can transform a desert of defeat and despair into once again, a thriving garden of hope and possibilities. As Howard Zinn said, “Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world”.
What type of garden do you want to grow?
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read my blogpost. I’ve included additional quotes on planting seeds, that have inspired me and invite you to share your thoughts and additional quotes that inspire you in the comments below. If you have another potential gardener who might find this meaningful, plese share it as well.
In Peace and Harmony,
Wendy Oellers-Fulmer
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES
“Your mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. The harvest can either be flowers or weeds.”
-William Wordsworth
“Plant seeds of happiness, hope, success, and love; it will all come back to you in abundance. This is the law of nature.”
-Steve Maraboli
“It’s good to leave each day behind, like flowing water, free of sadness. Yesterday is gone and its tale told. Today new seeds are growing.”
– Rumi
You plant seeds every single day, in the world and in others, with every thought you think and word you speak and action you take. You have influence. You’re making a dent in the universe and you matter, in a very real way.
-Jennifer Williamson
“The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our disposition and not on our circumstances. We carry the seeds of the one or the other with us in our minds wherever we go.”
-Martha Washington
“The soil of our mind contains many seeds, positive and negative. We are the gardeners who identify, water, and cultivate the best seeds. Touching the seeds of joy, peace, freedom, solidity, and love in ourselves and in each other is an important practice that helps us grow in the direction of health and happiness.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering
“A seed neither fears light nor darkness, but uses both to grow.”
-Matshona Dhliwayo
“Deep in the secret world of winter’s darkness, deep in the heart of the Earth, the scattered seed dreams of what it will accomplish, some warm day when its wild beauty has grown strong and wise.”
― Solstice
