WinhatYour Have You Planted ‘Relationship Garden? by Jody Johnston Pawel, LSW, CFLE Are you a gardener? If so, you are probably waiting with anticipation to see what blooms this Spring. Our relationships are like the different types of flowers we can plant, along with occasional “volunteer” plants we don’t expect. Did you plant some Spring bulbs in Autumn or seeds in a greenhouse? You know that under the surface roots are growing and before long new growth will pop up above the surface where you can see it. This is similar to how your inner self grows and matures before you see a “new you” on the surface or in your relationships. Did you plant some annuals? These are like 12
new relationships with people who are already blooming. Usually, what you see is what you get. You just need to nurture these relationships and prevent weeds. For many of us, though, we have a lot of flower beds full of perennials that need weeded or pruned now and then. These perennial relationships might have started as bulbs or seeds, like when we or our children were newborns, knowing somewhat might grow, but each season being surprised as each plant and relationship reveals a new stage of growth, and with it, new challenges. Each year our perennials come back, mostly like what they were before, but sometime bringing new blessings, blossoms or challenges that Feb / Mar 2020
