PRUNING SEASON by deb Kennedy
As October took hold, I had just come out of a very busy summer and an extremely busy September. I found my weeks packed with great activities – caring for our new grandson, painting, working at my Gallery, hosting family and friends, celebrating our 40th anniversary with a large party, travel to see friends and travel abroad. These are all things for which I am profoundly grateful.I was also profoundly exhausted. The pace had taken a toll on my health in early September and I was once again given pause to think about what I could and should be doing. I needed to regroup.
I have been using an app called ‘Lectio’ recommended to me by Kate earlier this year. It provides a wonderful start and end to my day in the pattern of lectio divino. In early October, the morning reading was John 15:1-3.
“I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”
The commentary was even more impactful:
“Vines grow at a prolific rate. Left unattended they waste energy in unfruitful growth producing poor grapes.”
I needed to think about what ‘fruit’ looks like for me and whether it had been evident or whether I had been helter-skelter moving in all directions wasting energy.
It was pruning season.
There are 4 questions that I use to recalibrate":
What is bearing fruit in my life?
Is it life giving?
Is it consistent with my intentions?
Does it provide connection and community?
I define fruit in my life as those things that encourage Connection and Community. I began to look at my activities over the past few months for those that yielded great fruit – here are a few:
- Hosting a Joyful Gathering with Kate in Moultenborough in early June.
- Investing time to care for our grandson this summer.
- Hosting our family and friends to celebrate.
- Making art.
- Spending time with friends.
- Finding a new church community.
There were other activities that were gratifying and challenging and filling but needed to go. They served self and ego but produced no connection or community. Saying no to certain things makes room for new fruit to bud.
In the days since, I have felt light, joyful, creative, free and hopeful.
Perhaps you are feeling the need to do some seasonal gardening. How do you define good fruit in your life? Where are you spending your time, energy and resources? Before the frost arrives, pruning may bring great joy.