About 6 years ago, I began a relationship with a rosemary herb. At first, the rosemary took up residence in a small red container. Given their size at the time, I thought that this home would be a helpful and loving residence, a place to thrive and be nurtured. I looked out for them. I watered them. I trimmed them. We nourished each other. Over time, however, I noticed that they began taking over their small container. Their roots began reaching out to break out and free themselves. It appeared that it was time to move on from their humble residence that had once provided what they needed.
With much care and consent, we prepared the rosemary for a new home in the Earth Mother where they could network and make space for a more expansive root system. With thoughtfulness and care, I replanted them. Over the span of 3 years, what was once a few rosemary branches have blossomed into a complete bush almost 2 feet tall! All they needed was more space and the Mother’s nutrient and network. They are now interconnected with the mulberry, the peach, the grapevine, the lemon, and all the worms and unseen microbes that speak, laugh and feed. Currently, the rosemary is flowering, so bees have also made their way to this ecosystem.
Flowering Reflection
How can you best flower under the right conditions of the care of the extended self and community care?