In the Garden of Dailyhood: Lessons on Letting Go

By Elena Harris
11 Nov 2024

my favorite garden with metal flowers and sun, a few flowers in bloom

A little inspiration from the garden. Right now, it whispers to me a quiet yet powerful invitation: grow wild, be free, let go of perfect. These words ring particularly true to me, a kind of perfectionist in recovery. Rusty petals, tangled vines—they don’t mind the mess, the uncured terrain, the improvisational nature of their growth. They just keep reaching, keep opening under the warmth of the sun and the blessings of the rain. They don’t question if they’re worthy or in the right place—they just bloom.

Here, I find a lesson in letting go of my own expectations about what’s right or best, in living open no matter the circumstances. Staying positive? Sure. It’s about trusting my footing, where I’m rooting myself, and reaching for light wherever I am. Not obsessing about always striving for more or different, just being and appreciating what is, now, fully. Each petal, each leaf, the refreshing touch of a soft breeze on my skin, the unexpected visit of a tired bee in the first days of fall, the subtle scent of the last flowers on the citrus tree: life’s precious gifts are in the small wonders of my dailyhood.

As I go back inside, pushed by the cool air of the evening hours, I reflect on today’s words of wisdom from my garden… Let yourself grow—messy or orderly, just as you are. Let yourself grow, free, simply, and see where it leads you.