A very special post, even if you don't get the response you deserve. I'll try to keep my response brief (already a bad sign).
This is my 1st experience w/ 1 of your posts, & yes, I'll be subscribing. I also assume you have a religious background, or have I misinterpreted? Either way, your discussion of a "garden" naturally calls to mind the "Garden," a subject I consider myself especially well-versed in. But I'll save that for later.
I was recently visiting my in-laws in Germany, and my father-in-law, distasteful as he is in general, offhandedly revealed that our favorite winery not far away is unique because, in contrast to most, if not all others in the region, they do not cut back their vines. Supposedly, doing so both controls and enhances growth, a subject you've touched on brilliantly here. Unfortunately, as one who has spent little time on a farm, I can't argue either for or against this practice. However, I can argue from a philosophical, religious aspect against doing so, and I'm guessing you'll be able to relate.
Adam was a man of the soil, and Cain was a farmer. Both were known for their pride: they both believed themselves special enough to make their own rules. Adam need not heed any of God's edicts (or just the one–not tasting of the Fruit), and Cain thought himself special enough to decide upon his own brother's death date. Such pride puts us above the creatures we judge/ignore/
mistreat/or tend to. What could be more sinful? We turn our backs on our fellow creature & God simultaneously.
It is a proven scientific fact that tending gardens leads to longevity. The world's longest lived communities–see: "Blue Zones"–all have one thing in common: members tend gardens. Sometimes I believe doing so is the first step to getting back to who we were before the Fall, when we were in our rightful place and close to our potential. We are in harmony with our surroundings, neither above nor below. But these ideas are all too philosophical, too far from the ground. Which brings me to the reason I loved your post most:
"I called out in surprise to my little daughter who was running with me through the jungle..."
This line shows how it could be, how it should be. It shows amazement and awe, togetherness, harmony, and peace. It shows joy and love, without the need for any pseudo-intellectual analysis.
My life has become a singular quest to lead people to exactly these kinds of moments.
A very special post, even if you don't get the response you deserve. I'll try to keep my response brief (already a bad sign).
This is my 1st experience w/ 1 of your posts, & yes, I'll be subscribing. I also assume you have a religious background, or have I misinterpreted? Either way, your discussion of a "garden" naturally calls to mind the "Garden," a subject I consider myself especially well-versed in. But I'll save that for later.
I was recently visiting my in-laws in Germany, and my father-in-law, distasteful as he is in general, offhandedly revealed that our favorite winery not far away is unique because, in contrast to most, if not all others in the region, they do not cut back their vines. Supposedly, doing so both controls and enhances growth, a subject you've touched on brilliantly here. Unfortunately, as one who has spent little time on a farm, I can't argue either for or against this practice. However, I can argue from a philosophical, religious aspect against doing so, and I'm guessing you'll be able to relate.
Adam was a man of the soil, and Cain was a farmer. Both were known for their pride: they both believed themselves special enough to make their own rules. Adam need not heed any of God's edicts (or just the one–not tasting of the Fruit), and Cain thought himself special enough to decide upon his own brother's death date. Such pride puts us above the creatures we judge/ignore/
mistreat/or tend to. What could be more sinful? We turn our backs on our fellow creature & God simultaneously.
It is a proven scientific fact that tending gardens leads to longevity. The world's longest lived communities–see: "Blue Zones"–all have one thing in common: members tend gardens. Sometimes I believe doing so is the first step to getting back to who we were before the Fall, when we were in our rightful place and close to our potential. We are in harmony with our surroundings, neither above nor below. But these ideas are all too philosophical, too far from the ground. Which brings me to the reason I loved your post most:
"I called out in surprise to my little daughter who was running with me through the jungle..."
This line shows how it could be, how it should be. It shows amazement and awe, togetherness, harmony, and peace. It shows joy and love, without the need for any pseudo-intellectual analysis.
My life has become a singular quest to lead people to exactly these kinds of moments.
Bravo, Dr. F.! I'm sold.