Excerpt
By Dorothy Collins, garden writer of the Red River Valley
In a Christmas reflection early in her gardening career, Collins observed
that modern Americans seemed to have lost touch with the power of nature
through contact with the earth. Gardening, she believed, could reintroduce
people to the spirit and tranquility of God and the natural world.
It was, as she noted, more than just a hobby.
Working with the earth among our last contacts with nature.
All is in waiting for the Blessed Birthday, when throughout the world
will be renewed the hope of "Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men."
May some of the peace of Christmas remain with you throughout the
year.
Ever think how little opportunity there is to find a few minutes of peace,
of contemplation, in our daily schedule? Sometimes there is not such
a moment to be snatched for weeks at a time. And each human soul
needs, seeks, some time to ponder where he is going, the meaning of life,
renewal of the set of values he has set for himself.
Even when opportunity for a time of quiet does present itself, one may
be so keyed up from the tempo of living that the mind cannot be released.
The time is spent worrying about current or future problems or
feeling guilty about borrowing moments that could have been used for
some activity.
So it is that the precious hour is lost forever, and one goes on walking
the same treadmill.
Those who have access to a garden, or who like to walk the few wooded
trails left are more fortunate—at least except in winter.
Did you ever think about the peace that is in a garden? You can find
there the same kind of tranquility as does a child who lies upon the grass
in summer, gazing dreamily at the fluffy clouds floating lazily across the
sky. Remember?
There is something about a garden which calms the spirit. Maybe this is
because the forces and cycles of nature are basic to our universe created
and ordered by God. Man is rooted in nature, so that there is a vague
unrest living in an atmosphere carpeted with concrete, skylighted by
neon lights and ventilated by auto exhausts.
So, too, is working with the earth, one of the last contacts with nature
left to man in a glittering world of lifeless "things." This is what makes
gardening far more than just a "hobby."
Yes, there are several months when we cannot find those quiet moments
in our garden sleeping in winter. As a substitute then, we must get the
feel of bits of the universe in other ways.
In this respect, those who can take snow and below-zero temperatures
in stride are the fortunate ones. For them, there is the walk along the
river, or even in the city during a snowfall when foot traffic is light; skating
on a pond or river, or fishing through the ice, if you are a fisherman.
If you shiver outdoors in winter, it's a little tougher. But sitting at the
window watching the bird feeder or a snow squall helps. Some folks
can even calm the mind by gazing at a perfect bloom of an orchid or an
amaryllis.
Walking through a park to work in the morning is not always effective
unless you start out early, for there is a time limit staring at you. Deadlines
produce tension and tension is the enemy of tranquility.
May the blessed happiness and peace of Christmas be yours.
—December 24, 1961