Weeding can be very therapeutic

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Weeding can be a very therapeutic way to spend an hour or so, but to appreciate how good it can be you need to motivate yourself to start.

For a lot of people coming in from work and sitting in front of the TV is a great way to clear your mind, but rather than sit down and do nothing get up and get out weeding your plot. It is not stressful. In fact it relaxes you better than the TV, and you have a sense of achievement when you have finished. And the next day when traveling to work you can look back on what you did and be much happier and you can exude a level of smugness that will have people wondering what medication you are on.

To me weeding is such an exercise in mind clearing and relaxation but it is also that time when the ideas come in, often, for new articles and essays. Another reason why I like it, in the same way as path edging.

Many in professional gardening and grounds-maintenance give me a strange look when I say that I enjoy weeding the beds and edging the paths. They would rather not do it and that is the difference between someone who does it for the money alone and someone who cares about the job.

Aside from destressing weeding and edging gives a great sense of achievement for it gives instant results and you can look back at the work at the end of the day and be pleased with yourself. How many people have such a satisfaction in their jobs working in an office. The only other person that does is the craftsman or -woman who works with his or her hands and holds a finished object in those after a day's work.

This is also why, outside of work, I garden and like to make things with my hands. Relaxation and instant gratification, as far as weeding the garden beds and the finished objects made are concerned. What can be better?

Gardening is therapeutic anyway but makes it even better.

© 2013