Garden Lessons: Wisdom Beneath the Surface

Embracing unexpected teachers and the quiet growth happening underground.

May has arrived, and with it, the familiar rhythm of the garden. Planting, tending, watering—these simple acts offer a therapy all their own. I love watching the stages of growth unfold: baby greens peeking through the soil, blossoms bursting into colour, and eventually the joy of harvesting something nurtured from seed.

But this spring, I’ve also been dealing with an old problem that returned in full force: gophers.

They’ve built tunnels, chewed roots, and stored food in all the wrong places—my garden beds! At first, I was just frustrated. Last summer, they nearly took over. I didn’t feel like sharing my hard-earned harvest with them again.

Then one day, I found myself staring at one of their tunnels, and a thought arose: What are they here to teach me?

That question opened something deeper. I began to notice their persistence and focus. Nothing stops them. They adapt, they navigate, they rebuild. There’s a kind of wisdom in that.

And suddenly, I saw the metaphor everywhere.

Just like gopher tunnels, new neural pathways are always forming in our minds. Our bodies, too, are constantly adapting—healing in the best way they know how. Even when we can’t see it.

The gophers have also challenged me to reflect on where I’ve had tunnel vision. Where have I been rigid in my thinking? Where is life asking me to be more flexible, more open to change, or simply… to rest?

Nature has so much to teach us. Even the parts that mess up our garden.

Reflective Prompt:

Where in your life do you feel like something is “chewing at the roots”?

Could it be showing you where growth is ready to happen—where you might need to shift, adapt, or release something that no longer fits?

Take a breath. Trust what’s unfolding, even if it feels messy right now. Growth often begins below the surface.

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