Sometimes the Universe Speaks

I have been hating my job of late, as you all well know from the constant whining on this blog, but sometimes the Universe says something and it's nice if you pay attention and listen.  The Universe has been sending me messages, and while I listen, I haven't actually HEARD what is being said.  Today.  I got it.

Customers have been taking the time to stop and talk to me this week about the change my classes and information have made in their gardening lives.  A gentleman says he has had the best vegetable garden of his life this year.  A woman today mentions that my class in houseplants gave her the courage to try African Violets again and they are thriving and blooming.  And today I heard what the Universe was saying.  What I can actually do, actually accomplish, does matter.  Does make a difference.  The rest doesn't have anything to do with me.  I can only affect the things that are entirely under my direction.

My attitude.  The information I share.  The joy of gardening that I convey.  My hands covered in dirt, patting a plant into a new pot, sending it off to a new home.  My love of teaching.  The kindness and friendship I share with my classes and coworkers.  They all know me.  They always smile and say hello when we cross paths at the greenhouse.  I have done the right thing at this job.

I have to let go of trying to control the bad things I have no control over.  My boss doesn't spray insecticide (I don't know why as spraying is a necessary thing in a commercial greenhouse).  We have bugs.  Nothing I can do to change it ( I have mentioned the bugs to him on three occasions recently).  Just accept this. My boss throws away anything I save and store by my potting bench (this week: terra cotta pot shards and a large bag of pebbles -- I did find my scissors!).  He also put a good number of bales of straw in the dumpster.  This kind of waste of a compostable item makes me angry.  I have pulled things out of the dumpster before.  This time they were wedged in too tightly and I couldn't get even one out.  Things like this weigh heavily on me.  I can't do anything about these things.  I have to let them go.

The Universe also sent two of my dearest friends from my guilting chapter to the greenhouse today.  It was good to see them again after so long.  Three years at least.  To smile and to laugh with them.

Today (our Christmas Open House at work) was a good day.  I was happy.  I worked.  I talked. I had a Peppermint Mocha decaf, soy, low fat coffee from Starbucks.  I didn't eat any cookies. "A" saved me some white "garbage" roses to take home. N saved the coffee grounds, from all the coffee we made for the refreshment table, for me to take home.  I saved a metal cookie tin to take home for craft supplies.  I reminded the boys to empty the trash so the Sunday crew starts fresh.  I had intended to check the paper towels and toilet paper in the two bathrooms but time ran out.  G called me at work to ask me to step outside and look at the moon (at 4 pm) rising in the pink and grey sky, all fat and full.

So, I invited everyone to step outside and look at the rising full moon with me.  The Universe was speaking.