I have been busy trying to get my garden into shape for the summer.

At the back of my garden is a patch of soil which is very much prone to weeds.

Last week I was on my hands and knees digging up a huge number of dandelions and I could not quite believe how many of them there were.

As I plucked each one, I was conscious of the rich quality of the soil which had been hidden from my view by the weeds, and it struck me that unless I cultivate this patch of ground on a more frequent basis, then without a doubt the ground will be overrun again with weeds.

I think it is the same process which we undergo in search of our soul (our truth).

In order to find the richness that lies within us, we must get down to that regular business of clearing away those aspects of our lives that cause us unrest and pain.

Those feelings may never quite go away, but we can learn to manage them, so that we recognise them for what they are.

By this I mean, that I recognise the dandelion as a weed and so I can pluck it out.

I know that these plants will come back, but having created a space for the soil beneath the weeds, I can give space for my beautiful roses to grow.

My next blog will be:   Poetry for Life

William Defoe