Garden

A garden is nature tamed. It is a managed piece of land, often walled off from the untamed nature on the outside. In our garden, we feel contented and happy. It is our own private heaven. We see things grow. There are flowers and berries. There are herbs and vegetables. Our garden provide us with food for our body and our soul.

This is in stark contrast to nature in its wild state which is full of dangers and very much lacking in the comforts and foods found in our garden. However, nature untamed is all that God provides for us. It is up to us to turn His creation into a garden. The idea that we can somehow produce a garden without effort or through coercion and power over others is saturnistic. If we want others to help us in our garden, we have to pay them. We cannot simply force them to do work. Nothing good ever came under threats of punishment.

Heaven is closely associated with a garden. We have Eden, a mythical garden that tended itself, and we have paradise, God's garden in heaven. A garden is the physical representation of peace and tranquility. When we work in our garden we come in contact with God. We learn that small seeds grow into big plants. We learn the importance of care and attention. We also learn that some things come to nothing, no matter how much effort we put into them, while other things grow almost without effort. The garden is in this way a perfect metaphor for life.

Left untended, a garden returns to nature. An unattended garden is a sad sight. It indicates decay and death. The unattended garden is spooky because of this. We half expect to see ghosts and monsters appear where things have been left to rot. The owner of such a garden, if still alive, is either physically or mentally ill.

A man's garden is a reflection of his soul. Some gardens are wild and loosely tended. Other's are strictly measured out. We have the formal gardens, and the English garden. One emulates the strict hierarchy of order. The other is a representation of liberty. Each in their way, they represent man's stewardship of God's creation. As long as the garden is well tended and a pleasure to look at, it indicates mental health and prosperity.

A garden is therefore a wonderful therapeutic instrument. Angst and depression can be remedied with a garden. A garden gives meaning to existence. It connects us with God. It fills us with tranquility and peace of mind.

A garden does not have to be a real physical place. Any creative project can be seen as a garden. I personally like to write. This blog is therefore a garden. I have a small allotment as well, so I have both a physical garden and a continuous project. The combination of the two help me reflect on things. It makes it easier to navigate through life.

By Roland zh - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link