The journey is never ending. There's always gonna be growth, improvement, adversity; you just gotta take it all in and do what's right, continue to grow, continue to live in the moment. — Antonio Brown
No matter how we percieve ourselves, may it be in a good way or the bad way, a major storm comes in our life that will forever change us holistically.
I call it as the "humbling process" that would transform us into a new person, so unlike of the yesteryears.
I say it by experience.
It is a roller coaster ride. A nosedive. A free fall into an abyss with to assurance of survival or an escape, but... one you get out, you will become different than before.
Just like a person, plants thrive in adversity.
Plants grow strong roots and trunks after calamities. They bring in more variations to their offspring from the stark changes of their environments.
At the end of 2021, I aimed to plant just 50 fruit trees. I thought it was an unattainable dream. After all, I have grown nothing successfully at that time. Yet during the downtime of my life, I was able to transplant and sow over 200 fruit trees of different species.
I had coffee trees, pink guavas, hybrid guavas, Indian Mangoes, Manila Mangoes, chestnuts, Rambutans, Mulberries, apples, Lemon, and a lot more!
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Aside from fruit trees, I also planted Nitrogen-Fixing Trees (NFTs) and trees that can be used as food like Moringga and Bago.
The sense of achievement is not momentary, but is more of like an excitement. I am excited of what the future could bring given that these trees can start bearing fruits in less than five years. I am also excited on how the trees help protect the soil from erosion while also storing carbon in their system.
Growing a tree is not a selfish venture, but a generation investment. You provide oxygen and clean area to hundreds of people, while bringing in sustainability and self-sufficiency to the family and even to the community.
Life may not go as planned and that can break one's heart. Or it may also trigger behaviors that can be off-putting behaviors or sometimes a person might recluse due to personal reasons.
I noticed it too.
After the strongest storms and heavy flooding, many of my plants and trees were tested. Some rotten away due to constant rain. Others got attacked by bugs.
The plants are like people, they have their limits and there's a time that they temselves just give up and quit. They are tired, exhausted, and dying. But life will revive you like magic.
Life will help you grow new buds for another chance in life. Life will smile and celebrate you again as a new you. A new day. New opportunities to grow and become stronger.
Plants fighting with strong winds and adversities grow stronger and longer roots, so that when they are tested again, they can remain grounded no matter what.
Maybe you have shed tears here and there, but those tears will water down the seeds of hope that you have sowed in every day that seems nothing is sprouting.
Littlw dreams, big dreams. They will all sprout in the right time and blossom with the brightest colors. The dreams will be verdant.
Like plants, the dreams will grow and bring in tangible abundance.
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Just wait.
Keep on praying for additional strength during the hardest times. Keep on believing that someday, your dreams and prayers will finally become a reality.
It's OK to be selfish for a while, dream for yourself. Dream to outgrow yourself or others. Dream for abundance, so when you achieve it, you can help more people who are also desprate for the necessary help and support.
Little by little, sow new dreams even when nothing grows or nothing blooms.
One day, someday, you're life will become a bountiful garden that is sustainable, self-sufficient, and abundant. More than enough to help yourself, your family, and others.
Thanks for visitng my garden and welcome!
PINNED POSTS
 | A Sustainability Review of the Year 2022 Starting from January, let's have a trip down the highlights of my journey in self-sufficiency and sustainability. |
 | Clearing the Damage After the Storm Instead of falling into anxiety, I took time to make use of what the storm had given. |
 | Building Abundance with More Fruit Trees Amid the Economic Turmoil This year, I planned to initially plant 100 trees wherever possible until the year ends. |
 | Using Saltwater and Fire to Heal a Permaculture Garden Plant debris becomes natural mulch and organic matter. |
 | Harvesting Cucumbers After a Year of Labor As crops mature, harvest season began as well. |
 | Fermenting Fish Amino Acid for the Garden Crops It would be a sin to throw away such things, even the food scraps I turn it to compost now. |
About Me
@oniemaniego is a software developer, but outside work, he experiments in the kitchen, writes poetry and fiction, paints his heart out, or toils under the hot sun.
 | Onie Maniego / Loy Bukid was born in rural Leyte. He often visits his family orchards during the summers and weekends, which greatly influenced his works. |
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