A few weeks ago, we hired an old friend, Tim, to come and give our landscaping a good pruning as that's his profession and area of expertise. Over the course of many years, our shrubbery had gotten a little out of shape and a bit too large. Despite our best efforts to keep it looking good, well, it's just not our area of expertise. It's also front porch season and the bushes were starting to block our view of the lake from our swings and rockers and we certainly couldn't have that.

Tim came out for a consultation and we went outside to talk about what he needed to do. I told him my areas of concern and he told me what he thought needed attention. The camellias had gotten too big and overpowering. The jasmine had taken over and choked out the mondo grass. The tree-form ligustrum had way too much going on. The hollies had lost their way and their natural form. The nandinas were being shut down by the azaleas. The gardenias were leggy and their beauty had all but left. And the Indian hawthorns were in need of new cloaks of healthier foliage. I mean, from a galloping horse, the landscaping looked pretty good, but, let's just say, there were some issues when you looked really closely.

We came up with a time for Tim to come back and do the work and he warned me that it was going to look pretty bad for a while as he'd be doing some severe trimming in some spots and drastic cut backs in others. He assured me it would grow back quickly and the results would be much more pleasing in the end, so I was willing to forge ahead through that awkward period in which the neighbors would surely point and stare.

Davis and I were going to be out of town when Tim came to work, so when we got home and turned up the driveway, it was quite a jolt. It wasn't so much that some of the bushes were cut back practically to the ground, because I expected that. But, everything looked like it had its own place and purpose and identity. It wasn't just one overgrown, unhealthy, competing mass anymore. And the overall picture was clearer. I could see the house better. I could see the front porch again. I could see the bricks under the porch that had been hidden. I could see the lake from the swings and everything looked like it did when it was all new. It had been so long since I'd seen it that way. I was tickled even though it did look like Edward Scissorhands had paid us a visit after an episode of binge drinking.

I tell you that boring horticulture story, because I feel like that's where we are in all of this. This is a pretty drastic pruning back of our lives that we're being asked to do. Goodness knows, I've never experienced anything like this in my lifetime. We're trimming away the physical contact we have with each other and cutting back the places where we overlap and touch. We're each being asked to draw back to our own habitat and our own core. It's not really something any of us want to do, but we could use this time as a reset.

Maybe we all need to be pruned back to the basics. Maybe we can grow back kinder with more tender, supple exteriors. Maybe we can harbor less weeds and thorns that inflict pain. Maybe we'll start to grow in the right direction. Maybe we can take in better nutrients. Maybe we'll help develop stronger root systems for the branches that we support. Maybe we'll start to see the beauty in others and appreciate their place in the big picture. Maybe we'll learn how to depend on our Maker again. Maybe we'll move toward the light and away from the darkness. Maybe we'll be willing to let go of those limbs that protrude and infringe on others. Maybe we can give attention to those parts of us that are hurt and unhealthy. And, after a time, maybe we can come back new and refreshed and stronger. Maybe we'll find more that is admirable and of good report when we reunite. Maybe we'll see that we do need each other. Maybe we'll realize that we are better together.

I have friends who've waited their whole lives for someone to tell them to stay home and keep away from people. I have others who are already climbing the walls and needing a night out. Some people are hoarding. Some are stressing. Some aren't paying the news one bit of attention. Nobody really knows where this is headed or for how long, but I hope we can use our alone time wisely. Even if it's for an unfortunate reason, we may never have another time like this again. A time-out has been called in life. An opportunity to do all of those things we claimed we never had time for. A moment we can slow down and learn and grow from our adversity. Let's all go back to where we were planted and start over from the ground up. Each from her own beginnings. Each along with her Creator. And, after a while, may we come back together more holy and lovely and united than ever before.

"I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful...…
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
John 15:1-2, 5          



Praying for the health and safety of you and your families. Let's do what's asked of us so we can come back together sooner!