Gardening feels good

I’ve heard that gardening can be therapeutic.
Lately, I’ve had a lot going on. I’m maid of honor in my cousin’s wedding this weekend, which has resulted in a lot of fun events in the past couple of months, but very little spare time on weekends along with everything else I have going on.
I seem to have been falling behind in certain areas of my life, such as sleep and organization. I had also been meaning to get out to my community garden plot on South Pershing Avenue to weed and plant. Time was running out, and the task almost manifested into added stress.

However, last night on my way home from my run on the Rail Trail, I decided to stop by the garden to weed my 4-by-8-foot plot. It took about 20 minutes, and it felt good to get it done.
I thought about waking up this morning to plant, but wasn’t sure if I needed more sleep. I set my alarm for 7 a.m., but woke up at 6 feeling well rested, so I headed over and planted some cucumbers, beans and watermelons. I also planted lettuce and onions, which I think I might have done a little too late, but oh well. This is my first season as a gardener, so I’ll learn as I go along.
Gardening was the perfect way to cap off my night and start my day. I know that when dealing with stress, it feels best to just knock things off your plate rather than focus on how much I have to do.
However, my time at the garden these past two days was minimal, yet gratifying, and I was still able to accomplish other things that I needed to do, such as a morning doctor’s appointment, picking up produce at Central Market, dress shopping for the rehearsal dinner and working out.
I’ve already felt the positive effects of gardening in such a short time. This might become a habit.