April 2026

Not everything you plant will thrive.

As a young gardener, I had very specific visions of what my garden should look like. I plotted out which flowers would go where.  I ruthlessly weeded out invaders that threatened my sense of order.  I watered and fertilized when the plants seemed reluctant.  And inevitably, I grew frustrated when nature didn’t follow my plans.

My mother, a wise and seasoned gardener, offered gentle advice.  She encouraged an attitude of experimentation, rather than expectation.  “Sometimes you just have to try things and see what wants to grow.  If something isn’t thriving, maybe it’s not meant to grow there. I bristled, resenting what I knew to be the truth.

So often gardening proves an apt metaphor for life.  Not everything we try is going to succeed.  Some things grow beautifully for a season but then fade away.  Often growth happens in the places we least expect.  Approaching life with curiosity and openness can help us appreciate the surprises instead of trying to control them.  And if we pay attention, we might just notice what wants to take root and find ways to encourage it along. 

The spiritual practice of discernment can be a tool for recognizing the growth in our lives.  It encourages curious attention to the otherwise mundane aspects of life so we can notice deeper patterns of growth.  I’ve written about the traditional Ignatian practice of Daily Examen in my book, Sacred Balance, and I encourage you to take a look.  For now, I offer a simple discernment reflection based on the gardening metaphor.