A 500 square foot garden is a thing to behold – especially when it’s full of weeds and grass (grass is the worst!).
Last week, with a final effortful push between my hubby Nelson and me, we finished weeding this nice-sized garden.
And for the record, the last row was the WORST.
We carefully weeded around the asparagus stalks. Hunks of grass, some viney thing with purple-blue flowers. Even four frogs (which we names Charlie, Henry, Henrietta, and Isiah). Some of those weed roots were stubbornly sticking to their soil homes.
“No eviction happening here,” they seemed to grunt.
We pulled and dug and pulled and dug. For 10-15 minutes at a stretch, it felt like we weren’t getting anywhere.
And then, like magic, those weeds gave in. Roots came up; wide swaths of dirt were exposed. And no asparagus or frogs were harmed in the process.
I think life is a little bit like this.
Seth Godin talks about it in his book The Dip. You either persist or quit. Both are valid choices. The trick is knowing when to choose one over the other.
The Dip is a time in work or life (or gardening) when everything is hard. Money isn’t flowing. Words won’t come. Clients aren’t appearing. Those frickin’ weeds aren’t giving up.
You pull and dig and push and shout and curse (maybe). It’s HARD.
And then one day (or one minute) something lets go. Maybe it’s you. Maybe it’s the Universe. Maybe it happens out in the ether. Whatever it is, it happens and there’s a “pop.”
You’ve made it through The Dip. OR you’ve given up, decided it wasn’t worth it. Then – what’s next?
Perseverence can be beautiful thing. The rewards of keeping on keeping on are great. The effort feels sweeter.
Giving up can be healthy, too. The effort and sweat and toil aren’t worth it. Your heart isn’t in it. It’s over.
Gentle reader, where in your life are striving? Pushing, pulling, trying. Are you ready to give up? Give in? Throw in the towel? Is it time? Or are you simply deeply in The Dip?
When you’re in it, you can feel alone. I can’t tell you how much it meant to me that my hubby Nelson was there pulling and digging and grunting with effort right beside me.
You’re in The Dip, a hard place, a new place, maybe a confusing place…
The answer is support. Teamwork. Even accountability.
Make Some Room,
Angie