It started with seeing a small fridge magnet that instructed, in rather twee American colonial style graphics, "Bloom where you are planted"

Hmmm, that puts paid then to any winter thoughts of escaping to a remote Scottish island with white sand bays stretching to the horizon. I suppose that Ive got to get down to it right here and now, and blossom here? Well, if Thich Nhat Hanh says that our suffering is the compost from which we flower, then I have the right soil for sure!

Then I read Cate’s blog in which she wrote; "I muse about the myriad wonders here and out on my windswept hill and quiet woods in the Lanark Highlands, and I know this is where I should be. I am meant to be here, to accept this realm and embrace it without reservation — deep snow, biting winds and ossifying coldness — all of it" and asked the reader to ponder on the topic of acceptance.

On Friday night I was watching The Extreme Pilgrim on BBC2, and this CofE vicar was definitely not blooming where he was planted. He said "What I'm looking for is a spirituality that is absent from western Christianity. A spirituality I know exists in the extremes of world religions." He found it while practicing Zen and martial arts in a temple half way up a mountain in China (in the first programme anyway). But mused that in the West, Christians had expected God to provide them with happiness, whereas he now found it was within himself. Don't wait for happiness in heaven, just get on with it! Acceptance of a sort.

This gardening theme continued running round in my butterfly mind. And I remembered a card that the lovely Vivien and Dave B sent me many years ago. I see it on my shelf every day. There is a tiny silver trowel dangling from it, and the text says Plant kindness, gather love.

This reminds me to water my good seeds.

Mind you, it's very difficult when people are intent on watering your bad seeds. I dislike conflict, but find it almost impossible to counter-attack in a verbal skirmish!

So, how can I lead a life full of peace and joy?

I have my non-acceptance of any circumstance or event (personal or global) which brings me suffering which will be my compost. And I have to cultivate love and an appreciation of the positive things in life which will water my good seeds.

How does your garden grow?