I was planted in fertile ground of good moist nutrient rich soil.

I sprouted with hopeful anticipation but got distracted. I saw the others who were planted nearby and thought them better than I. I thought them better, stronger, more beautiful and worthy.

I was blinded by envy, and feeling less than, I collected things that I deemed less than me; weeds (misplaced flowers) and trash from the world. It didn’t matter because I was unworthy.

I also coveted the riches I perceived others possessed, things that would make me happy. If I was able to get any of these, happiness eluded me, I barely got momentary pleasure.

One day I sensed a presence. It was a gardener, my gardener. My Gardener beheld and took in the sight and scent of me and sent it out to the earth. I asked the gardener to help me relocate those things that seemed like weeds and to remove the things that kept my soil from breathing and receiving a moist blessing. I began to know my beauty, my many lovely plants, some flowering, some with lovely leaves. Even things I saw as weeds transformed

I began being blessed by two legged, six legged, crawlers and wigglers. These blessed me sometimes with nourishment and sometimes with challenges.

As I stay aware of the Gardener, I flourish. Darkness can descend but always with a promise of a new day.

In times of cold, frozen darkness when I sleep. I dream of the garden around me. I awake to the gardener tending the earth with warm blessing and see this beautiful garden where I’m planted and the life around me.

I know beauty. I am beautiful.