Apriums
“Perpetual anticipation is good for the soul, but it’s bad for the heart. It’s very good for practicing self-control. It’s very good for morals, but bad for morale.”
In October, it will be four years since we moved to our El Sobrante garden home from a San Francisco high-rise. In many ways, it feels like forever, but in terms of our fruit trees and garden, we are still just getting started.
This summer we had our first big harvest from our aprium tree which produces a hybrid apricot-plum that is like a bigger and juicier than usual apricot. So very delicious!
Then our nectarine tree produced significant (and delectable!) fruit, but has now finished. We’ll also have a few pears this Fall, but we still have cherry and peach trees that haven’t reached enough maturity to produce much. And so we wait for them.
It takes a goodly amount of faith and patience to be a gardener. Maybe that’s why I’m NOT one! I admit that while I’ve done a lot of spiritual practice to remain more centered in this present moment, I haven’t really developed a lot of long term patience.
What about you? Are you a naturally patient person? If patience isn’t your problem, what “virtue” would you like to be able to embody better?