WIN THE MOMENT?

I’ve been thinking a lot about kindness lately, and this quote resonated with me. It reminds us that kindness is an intentional and voluntary act that begets a positive chain reaction. From my perch at Berkshire Botanical Garden, this idea reinforces my belief that a botanic garden provides extraordinarily fertile soil for kindness to flourish and to spread.

In many respects, gardening is an act of kindness — first, to the earth itself. At a base level, it involves nurturing and caring for living things, providing them with the necessary resources to thrive and grow. Whether it’s planting a seed, watering a plant, or tending to a garden bed, gardening allows us to connect with the natural world and to appreciate the beauty and wonder of life. In doing so, we cultivate a sense of gratitude for the abundance and preciousness of the natural world.

Gardening can also be an act of kindness towards our neighbors and communities. It provides an opportunity to share the fruits of our labor with others — sometimes quite literally. In cultivating a garden, we create a space where people can come together and find joy and solace in nature. The way we interact with each other takes the same sort of attention, care and patience as does tending a garden.

As a public botanic garden, BBG certainly strives to provide a welcoming space for people of all walks of life to connect with one another and with the natural world, and to foster a sense of belonging that encourages empathy and understanding. These are the roots of the organic perpetuation of kindness to which Earhart alluded.

Importantly, gardening is a way to practice self-kindness (the occasional frustrations notwithstanding). It offers a way for us to slow down, disconnect from the stresses of daily life, and reconnect with ourselves. Gardening provides a sense of purpose, accomplishment and satisfaction, all of which contribute to our own emotional and physical well-being. It also offers a way to practice mindfulness, allowing us to be fully present in the moment and to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

I invite you to be kind to yourself and visit us in the Garden throughout the season. Perhaps you will be inspired or recommitted to join with us in being kind to the environment through the stewardship of our common earth. And, ultimately, I hope you will take what you gain here — whether through participating in a class or by simply walking the grounds alone or with your friends or family — and bring something of it back to your own home or community. These are the kindnesses that we seek to give to our visitors every day.

See you in the Garden!