Gardening and Relationships
I was talking with one of my clients this morning who's on the verge of giving up. He and his wife have been separated for several months now and while he's working really hard on himself and the relationship, he's not seeing the results he desperately wants. He's frustrated and worries he's just wasting his time. It reminds me of gardening. Let me explain... I like growing my own vegetables. They are so much better than store-bought and there's pride that comes with eating food that you worked hard to grow. To make it more difficult, I don't just go to the store and buy plants, I start mine from seeds. And not just seeds that you buy at the store, I buy mine online after doing extensive research on which variety would do the best in our area. Once I have the seeds, I wait for the perfect timing because I want the plants to be ready to put in the ground right after the last frost. Then I prepare my seed-starter soil and plant the seeds. Each seed can take 2-3 weeks before showing any signs that they are germinating. During that time, I have to keep them at the right temperature and soil moisture level or they won't sprout. When they finally sprout, I can breathe a little easier knowing that we've at least begun the process, but we still have a long way to go. At this point, the plants are very fragile and must be carefully taken care of to ensure they are getting the right amount of light, water, and nutrients. Not enough or too much water, light, or nutrients for even a few hours can cause the seedlings to die. This lasts for several weeks while I prepare the garden soil and wait for just the right time to put them in the ground. When I finally get them in the ground, there are a couple of weeks where they need extra attention while their root systems get established. They are finally at a place where I don't have to watch them as closely because they are stronger and can better withstand fluctuations in water, temperature, and nutrients. But we're not done yet... it still takes several weeks before you see flowers and eventually tomatoes.