This month, Lowi and I have been focused on optimism, kindness, positivity… all the good stuff. When it came to thinking about optimism I thought first and fast of the rote “glass half full or half empty” trope and felt uninspired.
Then I looked outside at my burgeoning container garden and I felt hopeful, optimistic that my summer will be filled with fresh herbs, homegrown eggplant and my very own peppers to pick at will.

When you plant seeds or the start of a plant, you are, in essence, putting hope in the dirt and asking it to grow.

Much like a conversation I had with a yogi friend of mine recently reminded me:
No Mud, No Lotus coined by the famous Thich Nhat Hanh.

To find our unicorn-believing roots sometimes we have to work at it a little, unearth some long-since covered over parts of ourselves. Either we find the mud or the mud finds us. All this time optimism smacked of Pollyanna and fairy tale-esque “everything works out in the end.” But maybe being optimistic means that you are willing to hope that it does and open to “working out” coming in a form you never imagined.

Maybe it should also be: Know Mud, Know Lotus.

Those of us who’ve been through some dirty times, dark nights of the soul appreciate both. Our difficult times don’t just test us but are often transforming opportunities. A little dirt never hurt anyone, and some of the best things are found in the imperfect, in the mud.

Go on, plant some hope. Yes, then you can wash your hands.

Sunshine & Sarcasm,

Lowi  & G