Pruning – to cut off parts or branches of a plant to improve shape or growth; to remove or cut out as superfluous

Gardeners know that to have healthy plants they must periodically prune them for beauty and improvement in growth.

We too must use pruning actions in our life for changes to bring new growth and improve our health. For many of us it is hard to prune, to cut off parts that are “dead” for new growth to begin. Sometimes pruning comes not from us and comes unexpectedly causing great pain because we resist such change. Many times we need such outside help to cut away the old and unnecessary. Analyzing our lives periodically to know when to prune is important as we are often unaware of which areas have been allowed to grow uncontrolled, stifling growth. How do we stand back from ourselves in order to see what needs to be pruned? Meditation and prayer both are means to help us grasp when pruning is needed giving clarity to comprehend and to take the action required. Even so, cutting away parts that we have grown accustomed to, maybe grown to love and feel that we cannot do without, can be very tough. When we become attached to such areas that we won’t cut them off, we may have disorder, conflict and chaos in our lives. An unattended garden with large areas of overgrown plants that can eventually obliterate the whole garden is an example of our own life in which such overgrowth can cause sections to be smothered. So today, let us stand back and be prepared to prune so that we will have a renewal of growth and beauty. We often hear it said, “No pain, no gain” so if there is pain (and we must expect it), then let us embrace the gain.

As I reflect back on just these past few months, I remember the words spoken by my Mother saying that time flies by faster the older you get. It’s just that so much seems to happen to more people we know and love and little time to absorb the meanings and implications that have impacted their life and perhaps, my life. Time goes on, when we really need for time to stop… just for a little bit… just so we may grieve for those we lost, feel deep happiness for the new birth of a child, and empathize for those who are feeling both mental and/or physical pain. But, time goes on .. work has to be done, the bills have to be paid, and we are caught up in the daily duties of life and those events that have changed us may be not felt for some time.

Time… we say that it heals feeling of loss or it heals wounds, and it heals relationships But does it? We either need more of it or wish it would go away. But, we are stuck with it… Time