Agriculture is a huge part of the economy in Eastern North Carolina where I live. Everywhere you go in my county there are fields of soybeans, corn, cabbage, potatoes, cotton and wheat. All this doesn’t just happen by accident. Without the proper equipment, good soil, fertilizer, sun and water, a plant just won’t grow. Then there’s problems like hurricanes, hail storms, deer, geese and other things that can damage even a healthy crop. To put it simply, it takes a lot of work!
There are also things in our lives that we need to cultivate. Thankfulness is one. Every day we need to find something, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to be thankful for. It is an attitude that needs to be nurtured and cultivated for it to grow.
Family relationships take a lot of time to cultivate as do relationships with friends but the dividend is a bountiful crop of people who will stand by you in both good times and bad times.
Lastly, practicing a healthy lifestyle must be cultivated. It takes planning and prioritizing to eat right, exercise and let go of stress. As I get older, I have come to appreciate the benefits of meditation. I choose to do mine early in the morning by reading the scriptures and spending time with God. I have also learned the art of letting go and being quiet by practicing yoga.
Just like those crops that need to be prepared and taken care of on a daily basis, our lives too need the discipline of cultivating to make us stronger. Storms will come, predators may try to sabotage us, crises will occur; it’s not about if, but when they will happen. If we’ve spent the time cultivating the important things, then we can withstand them and produce a harvest of a well lived life.
Blessings, Cindy J
Footprints of Hope 