Sunday 2 March 2024

“Life is about accepting the challenges along the way, choosing to keep moving forward, and savoring the journey.”
– Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

Michael has always dreamt of being a chilli farmer and anyone who knows him knows that chillies are his thing! So when we were approached by some friends who wanted to buy chillies in big quantities, we just jumped at the opportunity. Michael had put into the universe his thoughts and they were being answered. Our enthusiasm knew no bounds – we walked the fields which had laid barren and needed some love and attention for a number of years; we talked to other farmers gaining advice and soon it was all happening. The fields were ploughed, irrigation set up and 72 experimental seedlings were planted. Every morning we bounced out of bed, armed with a lightness and joy for the newly developing seedlings. As any gardener/farmer knows, there are so many factors to consider with many of these being out of our control. We also knew that having chosen to live with nature, animals may be our biggest challenge but we were always optimistic.

Soon our little seedlings were sprouting forth, embracing the heat and the wind. The photographic opportunities they afforded captured my attention and soon I was taking time to really inspect them through the camera lens. It was such fun especially in the cool morning landscape. However, I wasn’t the only one inspecting their luscious green shoots. Esiotrot, our resident tortoise , as well as the kudus, were also keeping their eyes peeled and before long they all just couldn’t resist. They celebrated in true party style – the irrigation pipes were scattered and in a matter of two days our 72 seedlings dwindled down to 32. Our hearts sank. A new plan was needed.

Early the next morning, we hurried out and rescued the remaining chilli plants, gently transplanting them into a more controlled environment in our covered tunnel. As it was not a ‘planned’ planting session, we squeezed them into the spaces that were available. They thanked us in the only way they know possible – by starting again and rejuvenating with their inner strength. At the time of this post, they are flourishing.

This made me think of how in our own lives we are challenged by difficult and perhaps, challenging situations. What do we during these times? Perhaps we need to seek help/advice, think differently about the situation and draw on our own unique strengths to move forward. We all deserve to flourish like the little chilli.