Spring is my absolute favorite time of year. And not just because my birthday is in March either.
This time of year the holidays are a bit more spread out. There is not very much to stress about, at least not in my home. There isn’t a whole lot going on except the excitement and buzz that surrounds nicer weather and being able to play outside again. If you’re like me surviving the winter months can be tough. Being locked in my home with wild children who are feeling just as antsy as I am can be overwhelming. What gets me through this season is the thought of the cold easing up and seeing the flowers bloom again. All of the bright and glorious colors come back into the world and you feel as though you’re walking around in a painting. Spring is magical.
So every year with the feeling of Spring in the air I tell myself that this is the year I will grow my little garden. This is the year I will paint my thumb green if I have to. A sense of determination fills me. Something inside of me flutters and I convince myself that with a little love and care I too can have an Alice in Wonderland dream garden filled with flowers I grew all by myself.
Honestly, how difficult can gardening really be?
The answer? Very!
It always starts off great. I am hopeful and full of positivity. My husband will even go with me to pick out simple and easy to care for flowers. My enthusiasm is contagious. I will water them, and buy plant vitamins. I will ensure they have the proper amount of sunlight and shade depending on their type. I research and do everything I am supposed to do…
Yet this is where I find myself every year. Every single time. My plants look exactly as I feel. Defeated and questioning where I went wrong.
It is not for lack of trying.
I guess even painting my thumbs green will not do the trick. I am not capable of taking care of or keeping plants alive. And for the longest time, I really beat myself up about it. For years it has been the running joke in my family. “Do not buy Liz flowers, they will never stand a chance!” The self-doubt set in and I wondered what was wrong with me that I could not for the life of me keep a flower alive? I mean, I have been able to keep myself and two kiddos alive for this long.
The answer? Nothing.
Nothing is wrong with me, or you, if you find yourself unable to keep plants thriving. Some people were blessed with this gift and some were not and that is totally okay.
So this year instead of feeling bad about my lack of gardening skills I am just going to smile and accept that this will never be my thing. I have decided that I am done torturing myself and those poor plants. This year I will purchase some fake flowers and continue to bask in the warmer weather and everyone else’s beautiful landscapes.
