I have been busy weeding.....

Spring is finally upon us and I have been spending some time out in the garden. It amazes me the amount of weeds that grow over the winter. If there was a competition for the garden with the most weeds, I think my garden would be in the running.

I have been spending a few hours a week out in the garden fighting with the weeds. Some come out very easily, some come out in clumps, and some like the creeping ranunculus,-otherwise known as creeping buttercup-spread and dig in and are very hard to get rid of and if left unchecked  take over everything.There are the scotch thistles that have shown up in my garden over the last couple of years, I think they like it so much they have invited all their family and friends. There are a great assortment of weeds in my garden, some I can pull out with my hands, others I need various tools to help dig the roots out. The weeds are flourishing  and if I don't take care of this, the weeds will take over the garden and slowly smother the flowers.

Last week as I was doing this, I was thinking how weeding the garden, for me, is much like weeding my mind. What I mean by this is that I have had many issues that I have had to work on. Some issues were easy to work through, others were more difficult, and some where unbelievably hard. Some issues I could deal with on my own, some I needed some help and support, and others I needed tons of support and hospitalization. And like the weeds in the garden, some issues  will no longer bother me, and others will always be there and creep back.  My job in both the garden and for my mental health is to be on top of the weeding and be very aware of whats going on.

As I was thinking this, it also came to me, that keeping an eye on ones mental health, does not have to be for only those with a mental health issue or illness. The well being of ones mental health should be important to everyone and should cover all age groups. This should be as important as having a healthy body.

I hope that one day, through education and respectful dialogue, the stigma of mental illness will cease and society will not only know the importance of good mental health but be willing to put the resources to make this happen.  I hope that one day children will be taught the importance of a healthy mind along side the importance of a health body. This will probably not happen during my life time, but that does not stop me from being optimistic.

Until then I will continue with my weeding. While in the garden last week  I came to the conclusion that gardeners  must have been the worlds first optimist!

Those are my thoughts for today..

Until next time happy and healthy weeding!!!