Weeding and Wishing

There's a big difference between weeding the garden and wishing it didn't have weeds. Obviously the first takes some effort on a consistent basis. I spent some time today doing just that, and I've noticed a pattern in the process. First comes the wish: I wish I didn't have to do this. Then comes the resignation. Better get started. Then comes a determination to get a certain amount done. As I move along, I get more resolved to clear every single weed out, to the point that I really do actually pull poison ivy up with my bare hands. After I fill a bucket and dump it, I always go inside, wash up to my elbows with poison ivy scrub, get a glass of water, and decide to pull up just one more bucket. A sense of satisfaction increases with each bucket filled, and hope begins to rise. I survey my work with an eye for progress made and future projects to tackle. Some days I don't get beyond the wishing. They are not my better days. Today was a good one. I needed the weeds to challenge me. It's no good just wishing, but a little action can make that wish come true.