“Gardening is being human in the face of despair”—
Marianne Wiggins, PROPERTIES OF THIRST
One of real joys of retirement is reading and listening to books. My morning walk offers ample time to listen to books, and I make it a conscious effort to mix non-fiction and fiction books. The former offers the opportunity to review history, current perspectives and shape opinions based on facts. The latter offers the opportunity to let my mind wander in other worlds, some familiar and some not-so-familiar. And more often than not, the fiction choices present dialogue or descriptions about the human condition that are intensely profound and worthy of further thought.
One such fiction book is PROPERTIES OF THIRST by Marianne Wiggins.1 I first read this book on my e-reader when it first came out in 2022. An epic tale of family, war, love, loss, corporate greed, forced internment, and nature, I was spellbound by the breadth of the story and the prose that was captivating. It was set primarily in California during WWII with the Japanese-American internment camp at Manzanar. This dark period in our history is playing out in part today in American cities. I do not want to dwell on this latter point other than to note as I recalled this connection, I realized that I wanted to relive this book and am now listening to it on my walks.
Two phrases, in particular, stick out as memorable and worthy of further consideration.
- “You can’t save what you don’t love”1(p.3) – This powerful phrase can mean so much, in so many spheres of life.
- It can mean our attachment to people, our love.The ability to love and be loved is perhaps the most mystical quality of life. Becoming selfless, instead of selfish, renders one capable of devoting their emotional and physical energies in service to others. These emotions and acts exemplify our personal humanity and demonstrate our shared humanity with others. To truly save a loved one (providing warmth, shelter, selfless affection, and nurturing) we have to be prepared to devote our love to them. Yet, some feel that love has limitations to one’s physical existence. The joy of love is its boundless capacity to survive beyond death. Love cannot physically save a loved one in the throes of a terminal illness, but love will live beyond the boundaries of life and endure. So, you indeed can save what you love, even when life’s limits change things.
- It can mean our attachment to the land, the seas and its living creatures – In the context of the PROPERTIES OF THIRST, the protagonist has an undying love for the environment around his house, the lakes and the mountains.He seeks to do everything in his power to protect and nurture these areas for his immediate use and for generations to come. His love of these natural things provided his sustenance for all of his attempts to save the land, the waters, the trees and the mountains. These same qualities can be seen in folks that seek to preserve our beautiful country sides and sparkling waters. Without their passion, any attempts at saving the bountiful beauty of nature are unsuccessful. Their fervor is the key.
- “Gardening is being human in the face of despair”1(p.286) – this phrase has so many meanings to me and really struck a chord.
- I am always amazed at the zeal that so many people put into gardening, my wife included. In particular, in the South, folks in the spring, as the trees are releasing their leaves and a layer of pine pollen is everywhere, are tending to their sprouting bulbs and planting flowers in pots, planters and areas in the yard. Many yards have such small areas for plants that one might wonder why folks take the time and effort to plant flowers. I now know – because they are beautiful. They lift up our spirits. They are the perfect symbol of our renewed energy. They represent our renewed efforts to beautify our community. They remind us that the beauty of flowers requires our nurturing, but they do not bloom because of us. They are the gift of a higher power.
- To be gardening is to be human and to be wishing to contribute to the beauty around us. In the depths of despair, the fruits of our labors from gardening can provide some solace. That solace can be overt (the flowers and greenery) or internalized as a comfort to one’s soul. Being human is such a beautiful act and can provide the comfort needed at seemingly desperate times in our lives.
- The acts of gardening are nurturing. Granted, we are nurturing nature and its beauty but to deny the cohesive bond between humans and their environment is to ignore the strength of love in so many forms.
- I have emphasized the importance of nurturing our children (providing safe, stable, nurturing relationships [SSNRs]).2 I see the strong connection between gardening and the environment and SSNRs and the people around us. In good times and in times of despair, attention to the nature around us and the people around us will be so vital.
Love and gardening. I love the thought of the connection between the two. Our love for others can indeed save others. Our passion for nature can make the difference in preserving our planet. Gardening provides for the beauty around us. Gardening is nurturing nature, just like we should be nurturing each other. I am so grateful for my wife’s enthusiasm for gardening and its continued manifestations in our lives. I wish this love and beauty for all.
- Wiggins M. The Properties of Thirst. Simon and Schuster, New York; 2022. 528 pp.
- https://mychildrenschildren.com/ssnrs-and-mr-rogers/