Tending Our Own Yards: A Journey of Support and Healing

I once heard a teaching about tending to our own yard—because let’s face it, if you can’t keep your own garden from turning into a jungle, how can you help your neighbor with theirs? It's like trying to teach a cat to fetch while your dog is chewing on your favorite shoes. Anyway, during a particularly chaotic chapter of my life, a friend found herself knee-deep in a physical mess that looked like a tornado hit a craft store. Naturally, I jumped in to help, thinking, “This will be therapeutic!” Spoiler alert: it was. The project involved finishing the removal of lathe and plaster in a room, which is just a fancy way of saying I was elbow-deep in dust and debris. After I finally finished, I cleaned up the rubble and moved it to my shed. Now, my shed looks like a scene from a horror movie where the ghosts of DIY projects past are haunting me, but hey, at least I helped her see her space in a new light. This act brought her joy and a renewed view of her space—like giving a houseplant a good watering after a drought. Meanwhile, I got a workout and an emotional boost, all while dodging flying pieces of plaster like I was in a bizarre game of dodgeball. Despite the chaos now residing in my shed (which I’m convinced is plotting to take over the world), it's manageable. We both recognize our messy worlds and the need for healing. But thanks to my momentarily stable environment, I was able to support her—and we created a bond stronger than the cement I had to scrape off the floor. So, here’s to messy worlds and the joy of shared experiences!