Native Son: Top Ten Unexpected Benefits of Gardening

1. Discovering first-hand how Mother Nature operates … the good, the bad, and the painful.

2. The indescribable feeling of actually being a part of Mother Earth, not apart from her.

3. A true understanding that “Input = Output” … most of the time.

4. That irrational, illogical, ridiculous giddiness you get the first time your Epiphyllum blooms … will return every single time it flowers, for the rest of your life.

5. Realizing that the little cutting your grandmother gave you before she passed is probably the most precious thing you will ever possess.

6. Understanding that the only real way to keep your grandmother’s cutting is to give it away.

7. Learning that failure is a teacher, not an enemy. Same goes for success.

8. It finally dawns on you that by helping others, you actually help yourself as well.

9. Truly comprehending that this little blue dot is the only place within a billion light years to grow tomatoes. Tread lightly.

10. Witnessing a child experiencing any or all of the above.

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I need a road trip! Let me know if you’d like me to come and speak to your group sometime. I’m low maintenance, flexible, and you know I like to go just about anywhere. No city too big; no town to small. Just send me an e-mail at stevenchamblee@yahoo.com and we’ll work something out.