When we moved into our home, one of the things I knew I wanted to do was start growing my own produce, especially tomatoes. I love tomatoes. On a sandwich with a little salt and pepper? Perfection.
But my first year of trying to grow them was pretty much a failure. I planted them in the back of the house where they desperately needed more sun in addition to plenty of water. The next year, I moved them to the front of the house.
Suddenly, they were flourishing. The plants were tall and strong for the first time. The vibes were amazing.
And yet … no fruit. Magnificent, tangled leaves as big as my palms and healthy vines crawling up the small lattice I’d made sure to buy from the hardware store. But no tomatoes for my salads.
So I did some research – as any paranoid, anxious control freak who isn’t getting her way does. I learned that all those gorgeous leaves were stealing energy from the tomatoes. As much as it pained me, I grabbed my shears and started snipping. The beautiful leaves fell one by one.
After that, something marvelous happened. Within days, the plants began producing fruit. With more airflow, the little flowers flourished, and I spent the rest of the summer enjoying a splendid harvest.
This year has been horrible for my garden. Rain, humidity and heat have pounded the East Coast and made my plants suffer.
At the first chance for a sunny, dry day, I saw that, once again, the leaves had returned, but there was no fruit to be seen.
Once again, I reluctantly grabbed my garden scissors and started snipping away the excess growth. Hidden beneath the leaves were tomatoes I’d never noticed—and even a pepper plant I’d completely forgotten about, loaded with tiny, spicy bulbs.
In Forrest Gump, Forrest says, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”
I think life is also a bit like a tomato plant. That first year, I was so focused on what I thought success looked like. A tall garden with shiny green leaves. Yet it wasn’t what I actually wanted or needed. The beauty and glamour of it all were actually the opposite of the ultimate goal.
It wasn’t until I cleared away the excess that I finally found joy.
Life is not always going to go the way you think. Sometimes you need to break down your dreams and take a clearer look at the bigger picture in order to achieve them.
That “cutting away” can take many forms. Cutting out negative thoughts about yourself you believe are justified. Cutting out a narrow view of how to reach the proverbial top.
It means being nimble and peeling back the layers to fully understand what you want.
For a bit now, I’ve been questioning so much in my life. Am I doing the right thing to achieve my personal and professional dreams? Am I kind enough to my friends and family? Am I thoughtful enough as a wife and partner?
As I cut away the leaves on my tomato plants, I found the clarity to cut away some of the noise in my own head. I stepped back to look at the plants and reminded myself to mentally step back and see the whole picture of my life.
It reminded me that not only will I be OK, I am doing OK right now. When my anxiety creeps in like small, unassuming vines, I have to snip it because I know better.
I did my research. My tomatoes will thrive. And if I remember to keep cutting away the noise, so will I.
Marina Jo's Place 