Comments on: Weeds (Part III)

By: Weeds (Part I) « The Empty Path

Weeds (Part I) « The Empty Path — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 19:34:26 +0000

[...] September 10, 2008 in Complete Gospels (ASV), James P. Carse, Judaism, Karen Armstrong, Walhydra’s Porch, Yeshua, historical Jesus, parables Part I: The parable of the weeds in the field Part II: Religion or belief Part III: Wilderness and cultivation [...]

By: Weeds (Part II) « The Empty Path

Weeds (Part II) « The Empty Path — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 19:33:23 +0000

[...] September 18, 2008 in “Christian” language, James P. Carse, Matthew, Yeshua, belief systems, communitas, faith, historical Jesus, parables, religions Part I: The parable of the weeds in the field Part II: Religion or belief Part III: Wilderness and cultivation [...]

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:37:26 +0000

Thanks so much, V. When I was a kid, the bright yellow flowers of dandelion were also among my favorites. Decades later, after Jim and I became a couple, we began making trips to the Blue Ridge and Smokey Mountains to recharge our spirits. We always carried our Audubon Field Guide to Wildflowers along with us when we hiked those mountains. That's where we stumbled onto the beautiful phrase "escaped from cultivation," referring to flowers which were brought from the Old World by gardeners and then "escaped" into the wild. A great phrase to describe a lot of us so-called "weeds": escaped from cultivation. I resonate with your statement, "I also have felt eradicated in my life at certain times, but am beginning to feel that I have the right to flourish under the right circumstances"—except that I would affirm for you and for all of us that we have that right "under any circumstances." My understanding of divine grace is that we need do nothing to earn the right to flourish. Our being born into this world gives us that right. Again, thanks for the blessing of your personal words. Blessèd Be, Michael

By: V. Martin

V. Martin — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:59:31 +0000

Thank you, Michael. I agree that although a weed is not cultivated by a gardener, it is cultivated by God, and seen by the right person, can be appreciated. One of my favorite flowers growing up was the dandelion. The flowers were sunspots in our meadow at home, and I loved blowing the silky seeds after they turned and watching them drift away. I also have felt eradicated in my life at certain times, but am beginning to feel that I have the right to flourish under the right circumstances. I also feel that in order to bring something to society, one must confront the natural before making a contribution. It seems you have done this. While a gardener has every right to care for his plants by plucking weeds, the analogy may not fit for people, who each need care and a proper place in life. And, unlike plants, we can uproot and find new places where we are able to cultivate ourselves. Again, thank you for your essays, and for introducing me to the website.