Soul Gardening

The essence of all growth is a willingness to make a change for the better and then an unremitting willingness to shoulder whatever responsibility this entails. As Bill Sees It, p. 115

Each day the AA program offers a reflection from As Bill Sees It: The A. A. Way of Life ...Selected Writings of the A. A.'s Co-Founder, and each day I read it, I am reminded more and more of the excellence of the AA program as a way of becoming whole and complete with help from God. In today's reflection, growing in wholeness is likened to weeding the garden. As we prepare for the 40 days and nights of the season of Lent, it would serve us well to approach Lent and whatever disciplines we choose as a way to weed the gardens of our souls.

What weeds do I need to pull to give room for flowers? fruits? vegetables? and healthy ways of being in relationship with the world? I have always loved Pope Francis' Lenten fasting list. See below.

This list is posted on my refrigerator and I will, with God's help, weed my soul and fast from hurting words and sow seeds of kind words, fast from anger and sow seeds of patience and on and on...in hopes that when the great celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ comes, my soul garden will be overflowing with an abundance of health and wellness and love that will make me better able to sow the seeds of the Kingdom of God.