1) Weed the garden
2) Weed the garden, but this time, do not imagine yourself as the weeds
3) You are not in the wrong place at the wrong time; you are not taking up space that does not belong to you; you do not deserve to be uprooted
4) Stop trying to conjure up a god more merciful than yourself--a god merciful enough to leave you in the garden "even though." Any god worth being God is already more merciful than you, and even you cry as you pull the choking weeds back from the struggling rosebush (she needs your help; she is strong, but prickly, and sensitive to her surroundings)
5) Do work in the moments when you can. Use your hands. Accomplish something your eyes can see. Clear away the weeds, even though it is hard, even though it hurts (your hands, your heart). The weeds will choke the tender growing things, if you let them. (Don't let them. Don't give up)
6) Notice. (Haven't you noticed?) The beautiful things are fragile. The beautiful things need your help
7) Just remember. Please remember. You are not a weed. You will not ruin everything. You are not a god. It is not your all your fault (I would say it is not your "responsibility," but you only ever hear "fault," anyway, don't you?) You are not the weeds. You did not make the weeds. They are not here because of you. But they are here. And they will press in. And they will come back again and again. Even when you try
8) Keep trying anyway. Keep growing. Get help. Find sunlight. Take up space. Remember you are a flower
2) Weed the garden, but this time, do not imagine yourself as the weeds
3) You are not in the wrong place at the wrong time; you are not taking up space that does not belong to you; you do not deserve to be uprooted
4) Stop trying to conjure up a god more merciful than yourself--a god merciful enough to leave you in the garden "even though." Any god worth being God is already more merciful than you, and even you cry as you pull the choking weeds back from the struggling rosebush (she needs your help; she is strong, but prickly, and sensitive to her surroundings)
5) Do work in the moments when you can. Use your hands. Accomplish something your eyes can see. Clear away the weeds, even though it is hard, even though it hurts (your hands, your heart). The weeds will choke the tender growing things, if you let them. (Don't let them. Don't give up)
6) Notice. (Haven't you noticed?) The beautiful things are fragile. The beautiful things need your help
7) Just remember. Please remember. You are not a weed. You will not ruin everything. You are not a god. It is not your all your fault (I would say it is not your "responsibility," but you only ever hear "fault," anyway, don't you?) You are not the weeds. You did not make the weeds. They are not here because of you. But they are here. And they will press in. And they will come back again and again. Even when you try
8) Keep trying anyway. Keep growing. Get help. Find sunlight. Take up space. Remember you are a flower
