Let the Weeds Happen
I have 4 very large windows that are from ceiling to floor. They are used for solar gain heat that emanates into the living room in the winter. The sun slants lower in the winter and my windows are facing due south. On sunny days here in northern New Mexico, the house gets natural heat from the sun.
One of my windows looks out at my birdbath, a metal pan on the ground filled with water, and my crabapple tree. I’m sitting now at my table looking at the tree and birdbath. I have been home during the pandemic and have spent many hours looking out the window at the birdbath and tree.
As the pandemic has altered our ways of viewing reality, I have found solace in the outside window scene.
Some very magical moments have occurred.
Because my yard is open wildlife have traveled through my yard. I’m happy now that I’m not fenced in. I used to have pets, so a fence is good, but my pets have passed on.
Because of my “open border” yard the magical moments happened. Boundaries and borders can be a good thing, but can also close off a sense of openness and new possibilities.
As I worked with my depression in this pandemic, I watched many types of birds coming to the water sources. The smaller birds would drink from the metal pan, sometimes bathe in the birdbath, and then jump in the tree to shake off the water. In our region we have Magpies (really noisy), Pinion Jays (also noisy), red headed birds (names?), yellow finches, Evening Grosbeaks, sparrows, small chipmunks, Quail families, and various other local birds. The really magical bird that visited is my favorite; the Western Tanager. All these birds show up to distract me away from my musings about the state of our world.
As I rounded the corner one morning and looked out the window, a juvenile coyote was checking out the yard and having a long drink. His tawny coat glistened in the sun, and I felt an immediate kinship to him. He has since visited several times.
The weeds growing outside the window are all part of having an open border attitude. I used to try and have a perfect yard without weeds. I still get rid of prickly and noxious weeds, but now leave the rest. I don’t know what some of the weeds are, but have come to appreciate their colorful uniqueness. Goldenrod is very prolific in my yard. I leave it because I’m feeding the bees, who love it. I have white dancing butterflies circling over the unknown weeds. During one of my window viewings, I saw several monarchs hovering over my wild yarrow that spontaneously grew.
My observation of the unique weeds outside my window has given me the insight and permission to let go. I have let go of perfectionism, and simply allowed whatever happened. While cultivating an open border mind, you are letting in new growth. The mind then becomes more spacious and accepting of unknown mysterious ideas and surprising wonderings.
When you open your mind, many curious and interesting ideas, outlandish imaginings, creative out of the box thinking, and creative brainstorming can occur. When you drop expectations of a perfect preconceived outcome to your creative pursuits, you have the opportunity to be delighted by what happens naturally.
