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.