My Magic Rose Garden

One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living.  We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon - instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.   - Dale Carnegie

I read this quote the other day and it really hit home.  Not sure if it is how he meant it but nonetheless, here is my take...


I have been struggling with a serious case of unrealistic expectations.  I have a magical rose garden.  In many cases I have what it takes to have parts of this magical rose garden.  I just can't have the whole rose garden all the time.  My list has me mastering my life.  My kung fu requirements are nailed down.  My home and yard looks like it belongs in a magazine.  My business is thriving and my clients are happy.  I have time to sit and read, create or volunteer like crazy all over the community all while loving on my family and friends.  I want it all!  I want a perfect life!


The past six months I have had to work hard at letting things go and lowering my expectations, particularly of myself.  There was a time period during my healing that I wasn't supposed to do anything but sleep.  I had to let the mess go.  I had to walk away from commitments.  I had to accept that my best was what it was.  It was so hard.  I thought I had done it.


Yes, I thought I had...  Until I took a hard look this week.  I had not accepted my best.  I had trusted that I could put it all off and then once I was better I could wave my magic wand and just like that my magical rose garden would appear.  Well, I can't find my magic wand anywhere!  Can you say insta-garden!  Maybe the dust bunnies ate it...  I really don't know.


Anyways, for this week I have been working the lesson of smelling the roses today, the real roses not the imagined ones.  Each day, I put forward the best that I have that day.  I need to accept that.  If it was not my best, I need to accept that as well.  Why?  Once a day is lived, it is done.  I can't change it.  All I can do is learn from it.  If the effort was not my best, then I need to move forward and do my best now.  When I truly search my heart, I know that my magical rose garden does not truly exist.  The cost to achieve it all, all at the same time just is not one that is realistic.  Honestly, if I did start to achieve it, I would just add to it anyway...  True mastery is not going to be found in my magical rose garden.  It is in the journey, in today, in this moment and in smelling today's roses instead of chasing roses that will likely never get a chance to bloom.  That journey is all for nothing if it causes me to be so unkind to myself that I miss the real blessings right in front of me today.